RRC HOME One of the state's most abundant energy resources is a form of soft coal called lignite.
Many lignite deposits lie close to the surface, easily reached with modern mining technology.
In 1975, the Texas Legislature called on the Railroad Commission to regulate surface mining for coal and uranium. The Commission also conducts a program for reclaiming lands that were mined and abandoned before 1975. Texas is the largest consumer of coal in the United States and is the fifth largest coal-producing state.