U.S. OSM Approves 503 Million Ton Coal Mining Permit for Navajo Mine

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 1, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) approved the surface mining and reclamation permit for the No Name area of Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC). Located within the existing Navajo Mine lease on Navajo Nation land in New Mexico, the permit covers approximately 503 million tons of recoverable coal, marking the largest single permit approval for coal mining on Indian lands by a U.S. regulatory agency.

The No Name permit area encompasses approximately 11,526 acres, of which 9,042 acres are authorized for new surface mining and reclamation operations, with an accurately verified recoverable coal volume of 502,984,700 tons. Located approximately 22 miles south of Farmington, New Mexico, the area lies directly south of NTEC's existing Navajo Mine production area and is entirely within Navajo Nation land. The Navajo Nation holds the surface and mineral rights, and NTEC, which is owned by the Navajo Nation, operates the Navajo Mine.

Under the approved development plan, future coal production from the No Name area will be maintained at 5 to 15 million tons per year based on market demand, potentially extending the Navajo Mine's operational life by more than 100 years, up to 2136. The initial permit is valid for five years and may be renewed upon continued compliance with applicable legal requirements, covering subsequent production cycles of the mine.

The No Name project permit was processed under the U.S. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Because the project is located on Indian lands, OSMRE is responsible for permit approval and concurrently completed the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD). Regulatory documents show that the project's environmental review opened for public comment on January 15, 2026, with the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision completed on August 31, and the permit decision officially announced on September 1.

Coal currently produced at the Navajo Mine primarily supplies the Four Corners Power Plant, which is operated by Arizona Public Service. The No Name area is the remaining portion of NTEC's existing Navajo Mine Lease 14-20-603-2505 not previously included in the current mining permit; with this approval, its surface mining and reclamation activities are now officially permitted under SMCRA.