al Coal Assessment, a multi-year effort by the U.S. Geological 

ed studies of Federally owned coal in seven areas (called 

sment units”) in the Colorado Plateau Region. The goal of the 

s to identify and characterize major coal resources that will 

ion’s energy needs during the first quarter of the 21st century, 

ll beyond.

heet presents resource estimates, never before calculated, for 

 the seven priority assessment units in Utah, Colorado, and More than 360 billion tons of Federal coal exist in those areas. 

e the Federal coal is located, how much Federal coal exists, and 

ting helps land managers, planners, and mineral developers to 

d land-use decisions. 

do Plateau Region has extensive coal-bearing areas (fig. 1) and 

40 active coal mines which supply fuel for many of the region's 

r plants. From figures 1 and 2, we see that coal-bearing areas 

ands administered by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of 

ment (BLM) and National Park Service (NPS), or the Department 

s U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Additionally, coal is present 

Tribal, State, and private lands in the Colorado Plateau Region.

 of the Interior

Survey

USGS Fact Sheet FS–145–99

September 1999 Printed on recycled paper

BLEED 

BLEED

About 50 percent of the 

surface of the Colorado Plateau Region is administered by the BLM, USFS, NPS, or other Federal agencies. About 23 percent of the area consists of Tribal lands; although those lands are held in trust by the U.S. Government, they are not considered Federal lands and their coal resources are not included in this study. About 26 percent of the region is administered by State agencies or is privately owned.

on is not from Federally owned coal resources and thus is not included in this discussion.

of Energy, 1998, p. 21)

Gallup

Farmington 

Albuquerque 

Socorro 

Flagstaff

SANTA FE

Tucson 

PHOENIX

40

25

40

10

19

10

 8

34°

NEW MEXICO

ARIZONA

Figure 1 (above). Index map of Colorado Plateau Region showing study area, 

coal-bearing areas, major towns, and roads.

COLORADO PLATEAU

REGION

ds in Colorado

eau Region

al fields

NATION

0 100 MILES0 100 KILOMETERS

rado 22,264

 Mexico 6,029

AL for Region 52,180

Bureau of Land Management

National Forests

Other Federal Agencies

National Park Service

Tribal Lands

State / Private

106°

113°

34°

40°

AZ

UT

NM

CO

EXPLANATION

Figure 2 (below). Land status in the Colorado Plateau Region.

Tribal

23%

BLM

35%

FS

15%

Nonfederal

26% NPS and

others

1%

0 100 MILES0 100 KILOMETERS
BLEED

BLEED

BLEED

BLEED

n Basin 

ent unit

surface managed 

l Government:

essment unit 

Federally owned coal:

onnage:

tal coal tonnage

lly owned:

4154

130 billion tons

58

 Piceance Basin 

ent unit

surface managed 

l Government:

sessment unit 

Federally owned coal:

onnage:

tal coal tonnage

lly owned:

6474

94 billion tons

79

ssessment unit 

urface managed 

l Government:

essment unit 

Federally owned coal:

onnage:

tal coal tonnage

lly owned:

2476

52 billion tons

69

tonnage:

tal coal tonnage

lly owned:

18 billion tons

86
al Coal Assessment, a multi-year effort by the U.S. Geological 

ed studies of Federally owned coal in seven areas (called 

sment units”) in the Colorado Plateau Region. The goal of the 

s to identify and characterize major coal resources that will 

ion’s energy needs during the first quarter of the 21st century, 

ll beyond.

heet presents resource estimates, never before calculated, for 

 the seven priority assessment units in Utah, Colorado, and More than 360 billion tons of Federal coal exist in those areas. 

e the Federal coal is located, how much Federal coal exists, and 

ting helps land managers, planners, and mineral developers to 

d land-use decisions. 

do Plateau Region has extensive coal-bearing areas (fig. 1) and 

40 active coal mines which supply fuel for many of the region's 

r plants. From figures 1 and 2, we see that coal-bearing areas 

ands administered by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of 

ment (BLM) and National Park Service (NPS), or the Department 

s U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Additionally, coal is present 

Tribal, State, and private lands in the Colorado Plateau Region.

 of the Interior

Survey

USGS Fact Sheet FS–145–99

September 1999 Printed on recycled paper

BLEED 

BLEED

About 50 percent of the 

surface of the Colorado Plateau Region is administered by the BLM, USFS, NPS, or other Federal agencies. About 23 percent of the area consists of Tribal lands; although those lands are held in trust by the U.S. Government, they are not considered Federal lands and their coal resources are not included in this study. About 26 percent of the region is administered by State agencies or is privately owned.

on is not from Federally owned coal resources and thus is not included in this discussion.

of Energy, 1998, p. 21)

Gallup

Farmington 

Albuquerque 

Socorro 

Flagstaff

SANTA FE

Tucson 

PHOENIX

40

25

40

10

19

10

 8

34°

NEW MEXICO

ARIZONA

Figure 1 (above). Index map of Colorado Plateau Region showing study area, 

coal-bearing areas, major towns, and roads.

COLORADO PLATEAU

REGION

ds in Colorado

eau Region

al fields

NATION

0 100 MILES0 100 KILOMETERS

 23,887

rado 22,264

 Mexico 6,029

AL for Region 52,180

Bureau of Land Management

National Forests

Other Federal Agencies

National Park Service

Tribal Lands

State / Private

106°

113°

34°

40°

AZ

UT

NM

CO

EXPLANATION

Figure 2 (below). Land status in the Colorado Plateau Region.

Tribal

23%

BLM

35%

FS

15%

Nonfederal

26% NPS and

others

1%

0 100 MILES0 100 KILOMETERS