BLM to hold coal lease sale for 3.5K acres of federal coal reserves

GILLETTE (WNE) — The Bureau of Land Management will offer approximately 3,508 acres of federal coal reserves, containing hundreds of millions of tons of coal, for competitive lease by sealed bid on Oct. 8. Lands associated with this lease are in Campbell and Converse counties, approximately 15 miles south of Wright.

The event will take place in person at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 on the first floor in the main conference room of the BLM Wyoming State Office, located at 5353 Yellowstone Road in Cheyenne.

Only qualified bidders may participate, and the highest cash bid that meets or exceeds fair market value will be accepted.

“This lease sale exemplifies BLM’s vital role in strengthening America’s energy independence and positioning Wyoming for long-term economic opportunities,” said BLM Wyoming Acting State Director Kris Kirby in a press release. “The BLM is committed to the responsible management of public lands, bolstering domestic energy production while benefiting local communities.”

In August 2015, Antelope Coal LLC filed the West Antelope III lease by application to extend the life of the Antelope Mine, according to the BLM. In 2017, the scoping period for the environmental impact statement was initiated, but it was placed on hold two years later when Antelope Coal filed for bankruptcy.

The total area within the West Antelope III LBA is adjacent to the existing West Antelope Mine and contains approximately 441 million tons of in-place coal, 365 million tons of which are mineable or recoverable, according to the BLM. The recoverable coal volume and duration of leased reserves is driven by economics and subject to change.

This story was published on Sept. 26, 2025.