Requests immediate steps to terminate the Department of Interior’s Secretarial Order 3338.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Liz Cheney applauds the confirmation of Ryan Zinke as Secretary of the Interior and looks forward to working with Secretary Zinke on behalf of Wyoming people, land and resources. A key first step will be ending the moratorium on coal leases on federal lands imposed by the Obama administration. Congressman Cheney along with six other members of the House of Representatives, sent a letter to Secretary Zinke requesting he take immediate steps to terminate the Department of Interior’s Secretarial Order 3338, issued by former Secretary Sally Jewell, halting all coal leasing on federal lands and pausing ongoing lease applications and modification requests.
The letter states, “This was an unjustifiable decision made by unelected bureaucrats aimed at doing further damage to our nation’s coal industry…. We urge you to act quickly to end this damaging and unnecessary moratorium.” Congressman Cheney thanks Congressmen Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Jason Chaffetz (UT-03), Kevin Cramer (ND-Alt), Scott Tipton (CO-03), Chris Stewart (UT-02) and Jim Bridenstine (OK-01) for joining her in the letter.
“I am pleased to be working with my colleagues from other western coal producing states and Secretary Zinke to remove this onerous targeting of coal by a federal agency. Coal production on federal lands creates jobs, provides affordable electricity and generates revenue for federal and state governments.”
A copy of the letter can be found here.
Press Contact: Joe Jackson: joseph.jackson@mail.house.gov
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