U.S. federal coal reserve report

A U.S. Geological Survey study released in late July 2026 estimated that federal lands hold roughly 356 billion short tons of coal resources and 4.2 billion short tons of reported reserves, enough to meet national demand for about 600 years at current consumption rates. The report was cited by the Trump administration to justify a strategic‑resource designation for coal, an executive order allocating $700 million toward mine upgrades, new power‑plant construction, and a West‑Coast export terminal, and to argue that abundant reserves secure long‑term energy independence.

The following day, officials highlighted the geographic concentration of those reserves: Wyoming, home to 14 of the 34 active federal mines, contains 87 % of reported reserves, including the world’s largest at the North Antelope Rochelle Mine, while Alaska may hold between 140 billion and 5.5 trillion short tons. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum linked the findings to “American Energy Dominance” and added metallurgical coal to the 2025 List of Critical Minerals, underscoring the administration’s push to revive domestic coal production amid broader climate‑policy debates.