The Casper Star-Tribune reports that “U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said this week he intends to draft legislation halting coal leasing on federal lands after the U.S. Bureau of Land Management rejected his call for a leasing moratorium.”  

“Markey had urged BLM to suspend its leasing program while it considers reforms suggested by the Government Accountability Office last year.”  

“But in an Aug. 14 letter released by the senator’s office this week, BLM Director Neil Korze rejected that plea.”