March 11, 2026 - U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., on Monday introduced legislation to reform bonus bids for coal producers on federal leases designed to cut upfront costs in half.

If passed into law, Hageman’s bill would reform federal bonus bids under the Mineral Leasing Act to bring down the cost of coal production without sacrificing government revenue, a news release from her office said.

Coal producers on federal land are currently required to make payments on an accelerated schedule of five installments over the immediate first four years following a lease. Slow permitting and development for federal coal leases, however, means bonus bid payments present significant financial burdens to fulfill up front before revenue is even generated. Hageman’s bonus bid reform would extend this fee schedule from a condensed five-payment structure to 10 equal installments over a longer timeline to reduce the initial cost of coal operations on federal lands.

“Americans are reminded every year how coal keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” Hageman said in the release. “Reforming bonus bids on America’s coal producers will reduce more barriers on affordable, reliable power at the heart of the Republican agenda for energy dominance. Energy security is national security, and Wyoming will continue to reinforce U.S. energy dominance with affordable electricity as America’s number one coal producer since 1988.”