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Today, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement announced the approval of a permit for the No Name area within the existing Navajo Mine Lease 14-20-603-2505. This permit will unlock approximately 503 million tons of coal on the Navajo Nation land in New Mexico, making it the largest amount of coal authorized to be mined on Indian land in one permit.
With the new permit, the life of the mine could be extended for over 100 years to 2136, at a mining rate of 5 million to 15 million tons per year, depending on demand. The permit, the supporting environmental impact statement and record of decision were issued under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
“We are committed to ensuring that permitting decisions for surface mining on Indian lands are transparent and based on rigorous environmental review,” said Lanny E. Erdos, Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. “The public participation and public scoping process allowed us to gather valuable input that will help ensure any actions taken honor the sovereignty of the Navajo people, respect their land, and carefully consider potential environmental and community impacts, while also providing the baseload energy to power a nation.”
The permit supports the Trump administration’s Energy Dominance agenda, furthering American energy independence while contributing to the nation’s economic and military security.
Navajo Transitional Energy Company, or NTEC, a multi-time OSMRE Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Award recipient, operates Navajo Mine. The mine is located approximately 22 miles from Farmington, New Mexico. The Navajo Nation owns NTEC, the surface and mineral rights of the entire lease area, and the permit areas located within it. The No Name permit boundary encompasses 11,526 acres and authorizes surface mining and reclamation operations on 9,042 acres and the recovery of approximately 503 million tons of the Navajo Nation coal. NTEC currently supplies coal from the Navajo Mine to the Four Corners Power Plant, operated by Arizona Public Service.
The Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Awards recognize coal mining companies that demonstrate outstanding reclamation efforts across the United States. Recipients of this honor have shown dedication to responsible mining practices and have implemented reclamation strategies that improve the land’s value and usability after mining. NTEC has won this award five times, including in 2025 for their work at the Cordero Rojo Mine in Wyoming.
OSMRE is the surface coal mining regulatory authority on the Navajo Nation. OSMRE received 37 comments during the public comment period, which were reviewed to identify issues and alternatives to be analyzed in the environmental impact statement.
For more information about this project, visit the project website at https://www.osmre.gov/laws-and-regulations/nepa/projects.
