Lignite Energy Council
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 Logo | |
| Abbreviation | LEC |
|---|---|
| Formation | June 4, 1974 |
| Headquarters | 1016 E Owens Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501 |
Region served | United States |
| Products | lignite |
| Services | Education, lobbying, research, marketing |
President and CEO | Jason Bohrer |
Chairman of the Board of Directors | Robert “Mac” McLennan |
| Website | lignite |
The Lignite Energy Council (LEC) is a trade association for the coal industry in the United States whose self stated mission statement is to "protect, maintain and enhance development of our region’s abundant lignite resource" through four methods; education, government action, public relations and marketing, and research and development.[1] To this end the LEC and its PACs have sought to influence both local politics in North Dakota and neighboring Minnesota, but also federal politics to promote the continuation and expansion of the coal industry.[2][3]
The LEC was founded on June 4, 1974.[4] The LEC holds an annual meeting in Bismarck, North Dakota discussing the coal industry and policies.[5] In 2023 the meeting revolved around opposing Joe Biden's green energy policies which the LEC views as a threat to business.[5] Jason Bohrer, president and CEO of the council stated "The Biden Administration has imposed regulations that threaten some of those relationships, as well as threatens the way that the industry does business."[5] The group has been compared to the North Dakota Unmanned Autonomous Systems Council and the Petroleum Council.[6]
The LEC is heavily involved in North Dakotan politics, as the coal industry is a $5.7 billion per year industry in the state as of 2023.[5][7] The LEC has denounced efforts to call the coal industry "dirty" or "polluters" arguing that the coal industry is both environmentally friendly, and necessary for the United States to get a leg up on OPEC.[8] To this end the LEC supports and finances research into Carbon Capture technologies.[9] Additionally, the LEC supports electric cars such as Teslas, arguing that coal power plants are more environmentally friendly than millions of cars and have financed the construction of electric car charging stations across North Dakota.[10][11]
The LEC is a supporter of company towns, such as Noonan, created by the Baukol-Noonan company.[12] The LEC supports the continued operation and expansion of the Coal Creek Station arguing that freedom, a vibrant working class and the energy industry as a whole is only possible through coal.[13][14] The LEC also promotes efforts to catch fly ash and to repurpose it for various industrial uses.[14] The LEC states that they have 3,000 direct employees and another 13,000 indirect employees as of 2023.[5] In 2024 the LEC commissioned a study by North Dakota State University which found that the coal industry provides 7,310 jobs in coal conversion (coal power plants), 3,400 jobs in mining, and 1,610 jobs in transmission while contributing $2 billion in GDP with a gross business volume of $5.49 billion including adjacent industries.[15]
The LEC collaborates with the University of North Dakota to offer classes and research on the presence of neodymium, lanthanum, and other heavy metals being present in lignite.[16][17] Most studies about the economic impact of the coal industry in North Dakota are also commissioned by the LEC.[7]
The LEC is staunchly in favor of carbon capture initiatives, oftentimes sending op-eds to local newspapers arguing in favor of them, as well as commissioning polls to gauge the public's opinion on carbon capture.[18] The LEC has also attacked individuals and organizations that are opposed to carbon capture, such as North Dakota News Cooperative reporter Michael Standaert who argued that the long term climate impacts of carbon capture, that they aren't cost effective and do little to actually reduce C02 output.[19][20] The LEC argues that Standaert and other opponents are "ignorant" and "uninformed" and follow a position of "disingenuous opposition."[19]
The LEC is strongly opposed to the existence of, or expansion of, wind farms in North Dakota, which as of 2016 contributed 18% of North Dakota's electricity, claiming it is a direct threat to the coal industry and have sued coal plants that shut down due to lack of electricity demand due to increased wind farms.[21]
In 2015 the LEC organized and financed protests to the Clean Power Plan claiming that North Dakota was being singled out due to the state's reliance on Coal.[22]
In 2016 the LEC gave curated tours of coal mines to various Republican candidates for local legislation including Glen Baltrusch, Dennis Fred, and Albert Krueger to promote just how "clean" and "environmentally friendly" open pit coal mines are.[23]
In 2020 LEC chairman David Andahl won an election to the North Dakota House of Representatives for the 8th district as a Republican but died before he was sworn in.[24]
In June 2024 the LEC petitioned against the EPA introducing more stringent MATS regulations.[25] When the regulations still went into force the LEC stated "that Congress is broken" claiming that the emissions reduction mandate was unpopular.[26] The LEC would be joined in their protests by the States of North Dakota, South Dakota and West Virginia.[3]
The LEC supported the Fair Access to Banking Act proposed by Thom Tillis which would have prevented banks from discriminating against constitutionally-protected industries which was proposed after JP Morgan Chase announced they will refuse financial services to coal producers.[27] The proposed act never left committee.[28]
The LEC partially financed Doug Burgum's 2024 bid for President.[29] Burgum would go on to be named Trump's secretary of the interior and has stated he will expand the American coal industry.[30][31]
In 2025, in collaboration with the Petroleum Council, the LEC advocated for an expansion of resource extraction from the Bakken formation for America to secure the "leading edge of a low-carbon energy economy."[32]