Sponsor
Harriet Hageman
Representative · R-WY
Representative · R-WY
The bill makes coal lease payments more administratively predictable and reduces longer-term payment pressure for bidders by allowing bonus payments over 10 years, but it preserves an upfront bid payment that may still bar smaller bidders and shifts significant revenue away from the near-term Treasury.
Small-business coal lease bidders can spread bonus payments over 10 years (after paying the required first installment), reducing their near-term cash burden and making bidding more financially manageable.
Interior Department staff and lease administrators get a clarified payment schedule, improving administrative predictability and simplifying lease processing.
Taxpayers will face delayed Treasury receipts because bonus payments are spread over 10 years, reducing near-term federal revenue available for public programs.
Small-business coal lease bidders still must pay the first installment at bid, so the upfront cost barrier remains and may continue to deter smaller or cash-constrained bidders.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires deferred coal-lease bonuses to be paid in 10 equal annual installments, with the first installment due at bid submission.
Changes the payment timing for bonus payments on certain federal coal leases that use a deferred bonus system. It requires those bonuses to be paid in 10 equal annual installments, with the first installment due when a bid is submitted.
Introduced March 9, 2026 by Harriet Hageman · Last progress March 9, 2026