U.S. halts new coal leases on federal land, first review in decadesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration, in the first major review of the country’s coal program in three decades, on Friday ordered a pause on issuing coal-mining leases on federal land as part of new executive actions to fight climate change. The halt could last three years, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told reporters, while officials determine how to protect taxpayers’ stake in coal sales from public lands and how burning coal could worsen climate change. “We have an obligation to current and future generations to ensure the federal coal program delivers a fair return to American taxpayers and takes into account its impacts on climate change,” Jewell said on a conference call. Federal land accounts for over 40 percent of U.S. coal production. Most leases are on public land in Western states, primarily Wyoming, along with Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. The review, the administration’s latest move to combat climate change using executive authority rather than wait for congressional action, comes at a tough time for the industry. Since 2012, more than 50 coal companies have filed for bankruptcy in the face of competition from cheap natural gas and clean-air regulations that have raised costs for burning the fossil fuel. National Mining Association President Hal Quinn said development of coal projects on federal land already took more than 10 years and Friday’s announcement just adds more red tape. “The coal supply being cut off by today’s action has been the source of the lowest-cost and most reliable electricity keeping America’s lights on and people working,” he said. Republican lawmakers were quick to criticize the reform effort, accusing the administration of “ravaging” coal country. “Congress will continue to fight back against the president’s ruthless pursuit of destroying people’s low-cost energy sources in order to cement his own climate legacy,” said U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan. President Barack Obama, in his annual State of the Union address on Tuesday, hinted at the moves, saying he would “change the way we manage our oil and coal resources so that they better reflect the costs they impose on taxpayers and our planet.” Environmental groups had pressed the White House for years to freeze fossil fuel leases, arguing that allowing coal development on public land undermines the president’s climate agenda. Environmental activists have said that while the coal reform program is a good first step, the administration should extend the review to oil and natural gas for it to meet its goal to slash greenhouse gas emissions. “Any good-faith effort to meet international climate targets necessitates that the vast majority of all remaining coal, oil and natural gas on federal lands must stay in the ground,” said Elijah Zarlin, director of climate campaigns at activist group CREDO. Jewell said the review will examine concerns flagged by the Government Accountability Office and the Interior Department’s Inspector General, as well as members of Congress and the public. She added that the Interior Department will also adopt measures to boost transparency of federal coal leasing. Measures include a public database to show the carbon emitted from fossil fuels developed on public lands, posting online pending requests to lease coal or reduce government royalties, as well as capturing methane emissions from mines. Jewell said the pause will not apply to existing coal production and that the government will allow mining of metallurgical coal used in making steel, as well as emergency leases if more reserves are needed for power generation. “We have plenty of coal,” Jewell said, adding that reserves already under lease are enough to sustain current levels of production from federal land for 20 years. politicsNews
halts new coal leases federal land first review decadeswashington reuters the obama administration first major review country coal program three decades friday ordered pause issuing leases federal land part new executive actions fight climate change the halt could last three years interior secretary sally jewel told reporters officials determine protect taxpayers stake coal sales public lands burning coal could worsen climate change we obligation current future generations ensure federal coal program delivers fair return american taxpayers takes account impacts climate change jewel said conference call federal land accounts percent coal production most leases public land western states primarily wyoming along colorado new mexico utah the review administration latest move combat climate change using executive authority rather wait congressional action comes tough time industry since coal companies filed bankruptcy face competition cheap natural gas regulations raised costs burning fossil fuel national mining association president hal quinn said development coal projects federal land already took years friday announcement adds red tape the coal supply cut today action source reliable electricity keeping america lights people working said republican lawmakers quick criticize reform effort accusing administration managing coal country congress continue fight back president ruthless pursuit destroying people energy sources order cement climate legacy said house speaker paul ryan president barack obama annual state union address tuesday hinted moves saying would change way manage oil coal resources better reflect costs impose taxpayers environmental groups pressed white house years freeze fossil fuel leases arguing allowing coal development public land undermines president climate agenda environmental activists said coal reform program good first step administration extend review oil natural gas meet goal slash greenhouse gas emissions any effort meet international climate targets necessitated vast majority remaining coal oil natural gas federal lands must stay ground said elias margin director climate campaigns activist group redo jewel said review examine concerns flagged government accountability office interior department inspector general well members congress public she added interior department also adopt measures boost transparency federal coal leasing measures include public database show carbon emitted fossil fuels developed public lands posting online pending requests lease coal reduce government royalties well capturing methane emissions mines jewel said pause apply existing coal production government allow mining metallurgical coal used making steel well emergency leases reserves needed power generation we plenty coal jewel said adding reserves already lease enough sustain current levels production federal land years politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. halts new coal leases on federal land, first review in decadesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration, in the first major review of the country’s coal program in three decades, on Friday ordered a pause on issuing coal-mining leases on federal land as part of new executive actions to fight climate change. The halt could last three years, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told reporters, while officials determine how to protect taxpayers’ stake in coal sales from public lands and how burning coal could worsen climate change. “We have an obligation to current and future generations to ensure the federal coal program delivers a fair return to American taxpayers and takes into account its impacts on climate change,” Jewell said on a conference call. Federal land accounts for over 40 percent of U.S. coal production. Most leases are on public land in Western states, primarily Wyoming, along with Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. The review, the administration’s latest move to combat climate change using executive authority rather than wait for congressional action, comes at a tough time for the industry. Since 2012, more than 50 coal companies have filed for bankruptcy in the face of competition from cheap natural gas and clean-air regulations that have raised costs for burning the fossil fuel. National Mining Association President Hal Quinn said development of coal projects on federal land already took more than 10 years and Friday’s announcement just adds more red tape. “The coal supply being cut off by today’s action has been the source of the lowest-cost and most reliable electricity keeping America’s lights on and people working,” he said. Republican lawmakers were quick to criticize the reform effort, accusing the administration of “ravaging” coal country. “Congress will continue to fight back against the president’s ruthless pursuit of destroying people’s low-cost energy sources in order to cement his own climate legacy,” said U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan. President Barack Obama, in his annual State of the Union address on Tuesday, hinted at the moves, saying he would “change the way we manage our oil and coal resources so that they better reflect the costs they impose on taxpayers and our planet.” Environmental groups had pressed the White House for years to freeze fossil fuel leases, arguing that allowing coal development on public land undermines the president’s climate agenda. Environmental activists have said that while the coal reform program is a good first step, the administration should extend the review to oil and natural gas for it to meet its goal to slash greenhouse gas emissions. “Any good-faith effort to meet international climate targets necessitates that the vast majority of all remaining coal, oil and natural gas on federal lands must stay in the ground,” said Elijah Zarlin, director of climate campaigns at activist group CREDO. Jewell said the review will examine concerns flagged by the Government Accountability Office and the Interior Department’s Inspector General, as well as members of Congress and the public. She added that the Interior Department will also adopt measures to boost transparency of federal coal leasing. Measures include a public database to show the carbon emitted from fossil fuels developed on public lands, posting online pending requests to lease coal or reduce government royalties, as well as capturing methane emissions from mines. Jewell said the pause will not apply to existing coal production and that the government will allow mining of metallurgical coal used in making steel, as well as emergency leases if more reserves are needed for power generation. “We have plenty of coal,” Jewell said, adding that reserves already under lease are enough to sustain current levels of production from federal land for 20 years. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: halts new coal leases federal land first review decadeswashington reuters the obama administration first major review country coal program three decades friday ordered pause issuing leases federal land part new executive actions fight climate change the halt could last three years interior secretary sally jewel told reporters officials determine protect taxpayers stake coal sales public lands burning coal could worsen climate change we obligation current future generations ensure federal coal program delivers fair return american taxpayers takes account impacts climate change jewel said conference call federal land accounts percent coal production most leases public land western states primarily wyoming along colorado new mexico utah the review administration latest move combat climate change using executive authority rather wait congressional action comes tough time industry since coal companies filed bankruptcy face competition cheap natural gas regulations raised costs burning fossil fuel national mining association president hal quinn said development coal projects federal land already took years friday announcement adds red tape the coal supply cut today action source reliable electricity keeping america lights people working said republican lawmakers quick criticize reform effort accusing administration managing coal country congress continue fight back president ruthless pursuit destroying people energy sources order cement climate legacy said house speaker paul ryan president barack obama annual state union address tuesday hinted moves saying would change way manage oil coal resources better reflect costs impose taxpayers environmental groups pressed white house years freeze fossil fuel leases arguing allowing coal development public land undermines president climate agenda environmental activists said coal reform program good first step administration extend review oil natural gas meet goal slash greenhouse gas emissions any effort meet international climate targets necessitated vast majority remaining coal oil natural gas federal lands must stay ground said elias margin director climate campaigns activist group redo jewel said review examine concerns flagged government accountability office interior department inspector general well members congress public she added interior department also adopt measures boost transparency federal coal leasing measures include public database show carbon emitted fossil fuels developed public lands posting online pending requests lease coal reduce government royalties well capturing methane emissions mines jewel said pause apply existing coal production government allow mining metallurgical coal used making steel well emergency leases reserves needed power generation we plenty coal jewel said adding reserves already lease enough sustain current levels production federal land years politicsnews