On Friday, Department of the Interior secretary, Sally Jewell, announced the Obama administration's plans for stopping all new leases on federal lands for coal mines. This down time will give the DOI the chance to review the government's coal program and better account for the environmental costs of burning coal with a programmatic environmental impact statement. The DOI says this review "will take a careful look at issues such as how, when, and where to lease; how to account for the environmental and public health impacts of federal coal production; and how to ensure American taxpayers are earning a fair return for the use of their public resources."

The review is scheduled to last about three years. Previously, the federal coal program underwent reviews in the 1980s and 1970s, and similar to when those reviews took place, current coal mining leases won't be affected. If you're concerned about an energy shortage, the DOI estimates that those current land leases can sustain coal production levels for the next 20 years.