"Poll Shows Support In West For Coal-Leasing Reform"

"Residents in the western United States support reforming the federal coal-leasing program.  

According to a new poll released Tuesday by Public Policy Polling, 64 percent of voters in western coal states support updating the coal-leasing program, including looking at royalty rates for companies and updating the leasing terms.

Fifty-two percent of coal state Westerners support reforming the program so “taxpayers get a fair deal,” according to the survey. Two-thirds say those leases should not go to companies that haven’t cleaned up former mining sites, and 53 percent said a new coal leasing program should do more to protect public lands."

Devin Henry reports for The Hill June 20, 2016.