Trump Signs Off on Big Wyoming Coal Expansion, Unlocking 14.5 Million Tons

One of Wyoming’s biggest coal mines just got the green light to dig into more than 14 million tons of federal coal — about half a year’s worth of production — in the Powder River Basin.

The Trump administration approved the West Antelope II South Tract Mining Plan Modification last week, allowing the Antelope Mine in Converse County to keep pushing west toward Highway 59. The mine, run by Navajo Transitional Energy Company, cranks out 20–25 million tons a year, employs roughly 400 people, and ranks as the third-largest coal mine in the nation.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum framed the move as part of Trump’s push to “revitalize American coal and unleash our nation’s energy potential,” while administration officials pitched it as a win for both energy security and “commonsense permitting.”

The action also comes with a financial twist. A new federal policy — dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill” — slashes mineral royalties from 12.5% to 7%, a change expected to cost Wyoming around $50 million a year in lost revenue. State leaders want a bigger cut of what’s left to soften the blow.

Industry insiders say the expansion technically could have been approved under Biden’s leasing ban because the mine already had the lease and had filed its plan earlier. But they claim the process froze under his administration. The Trump team fast-tracked the decision under new legislation that directs Interior to move pending permits forward.

Gov. Mark Gordon praised the move and is pushing for another green light — this time for the Black Butte Mine in Sweetwater County, which is eyeing 9.2 million tons of new federal coal. That proposal is now in a 10-day public comment period, with a virtual meeting set for Aug. 18.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Land Management is gearing up to reverse Biden’s Powder River Basin leasing ban entirely, potentially opening the door to more federal coal down the line.

For Wyoming, the Antelope Mine approval is one more shot of life for an industry that dipped below 200 million tons of annual production last year for the first time in decades — but has seen a modest rebound so far in 2025.

With input from SweetwaterNow and Gillette News Record.