October 2, 2025 - Warrior Met Coal Mining, LLC in Brookwood, Alabama was expected to win bidding on the giant federal coal leases available in North Tuscaloosa County. That came to fruition this week when the company's bid of $46,816,000 was indeed selected for the expansion.

The estimate by the government is some 53 million tons of metallurgical coal lays beneath the 14,050 acres of federal land. (Metallurgical coal is used to produce high quality coke, a major ingredient in steel making.) Extraction will be done underground through longwall mining.

A press release by the U.S. Department of the Interior states the new leases are expected to generate more than 400 new jobs, significant revenues through federal royalties, rents and Alabama state severance taxes. By law, royalties from the leases will be shared equally between the State of Alabama and the U.S. Treasury.

Alabama Senior U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, who has strongly backed President Trump's Executive Order 14261, Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry, and Executive Order 14241, Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production, commented about the Tuscaloosa County bid on X (formally known as twitter). "HUGE NEWS for Alabama. Energy dominance is BACK."

The Tuscaloosa County leases are part of the plan for the Bureau of Land Management to make up to 13.1 million acres of federal coal available for lease. The Trump Administration plans to $625 million investment to expand and reinvigorate America’s coal industry, aiming to boost energy production and support coal communities nationwide.

“This lease sale is another example of how the Department of the Interior is delivering on President Trump’s commitment to unleash American energy, strengthen rural economies and secure fair returns for the American people,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum was quoted as saying the department's press release. “By expanding access to America’s world-class metallurgical coal reserves, we are creating good-paying jobs, supporting domestic steel production, and reinforcing our nation’s Energy Dominance.”

West Alabama GOP Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-4th District) earlier this month praised the coal leases, “Coal has long played an important role in fueling our economy and providing good-paying jobs, especially here in Alabama."

A downside to the expanded mining is the resultant increased production of greenhouse gases by 80% over the mines’ lifetimes as revealed in the environmental impact study. Environmental group Black Warrior Riverkeeper's submission to the study noted that expansion of the two mines will endanger water quality and the habitat for the Black Warrior Waterdog, an endangered salamander that inhabits the area.