Interior Department repeals Obama-era rule on coal royalties

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Interior Department said Monday it is scrapping an Obama-era rule aimed at ensuring that coal companies don’t shortchange taxpayers on huge volumes of coal extracted from public lands, primarily in the West.
The Trump administration had put the rule on hold after mining companies challenged the regulation in federal court. Monday’s action repeals the Obama-era rule and begins a process seeking public comments on whether to change the way the government val