(Wyoming) Coal lease bids top $1 billion in '04

[TransitJohn]

By DUSTIN BLEIZEFFER
Star-Tribune energy reporter Friday, December 17, 2004




GILLETTE -- Kennecott Energy Co. secured an additional 195 million tons of federal coal in the Powder River Basin with a $146.3 million bid this week.

The West Antelope "bonus bid" pushes Wyoming's total for coal lease sales this year beyond $1 billion, half of which comes back to the state. That means:

* $1.6 million for community colleges in Wyoming.

* $7.5 million for cities, counties and highways.

* And $527 million for K-12 school capital construction.

"That means a tremendous amount to our economy, and the fact that the people of Wyoming don't have to face a tax increase to address the school situation," said Greg Schaefer, spokesman for Arch Coal Inc.

Wyoming Supreme Court rulings have directed the state to build more than $700 million in new schools.

In all, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming has leased more than $1.4 billion tons of coal in the Powder River Basin so far this year. An additional 650 million tons are up for competitive bid later this month and early next year.

The BLM will also offer a 32.1 million-ton tract for underground mining near Rock Springs in 2005.
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http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2004/12/17/news/wyoming/d9f613b1c5ff931687256f6d0000da1b.txt

[da_chimperor]

1. Yeay, acid rain for everybody!

:eyes:

[truthisfreedom]

2. i've been told that we have 200 years of coal here in this country.

if the thugs stay in power, we'll be under a CO2 blanket for all eternity.

[TransitJohn]

3. Well,

you're using the product of that coal to power your 'puter, you know. Until we collectively as a society change our demand for cheap convenient energy, this is the norm. Everybody who bitches uses as much energy as everybody else who doesn't even think about such issues. Not flaming you. :wave:

[illflem]

4. I wrote a letter to my state senator, Max Baucus

of Montana encouraging him to support alternative energy legislation.
His reply, "by deregulating the coal mining industry we'll have all the cheap energy we need."
Even though he's a Democrat he'll never get my vote again.