Washington, D.C.—Tomorrow, the Obama Administration is expected to announce a pause on most new coal leases on public lands until a comprehensive environmental review is completed. In response, LCV President Gene Karpinski issued the following statement:

“This is great news for our environment, taxpayers and local communities! It’s high-time we hit pause on the outdated federal coal program. Kudos to President Obama and Interior Secretary Jewell for taking the first steps towards fixing a broken system that worsens climate change, cheats taxpayers out of getting a fair return and subsidizes big polluters at the expense of our future. The Obama administration is taking yet another important step in our fight to tackle climate change, protect our magnificent public lands and safeguard public health for generations to come.”

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