One of coal’s last strongholds is under review

The coal industry is suffering these days. And regardless of campaign promises, it’s unlikely the Trump administration will be able to do much to bring coal back to its glory days. Fracking and natural gas are just too competitive an energy source. There are still some areas, though, where coal’s so cheap, it holds its own: coal leases on federal land. Now, recent recommendations about that program could make even those spots less viable.