WASHINGTON, June 5 – The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement recognized Navajo Transitional Energy Company LLC as recipient of its 2025 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Awards for the company’s work at its Cordero Rojo Mine in Wyoming.
“Receiving both the National and Good Neighbor Awards for the same operation is a rare achievement,” said OSMRE Director Lanny Erdos. “These efforts reflect not only technical excellence, but also leadership and a genuine commitment to workforce investment and the surrounding community — demonstrating the backbone of American Energy Dominance.”
OSMRE’s Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Awards recognize mine operators in two award categories: the National Award and the Good Neighbor Award. The National Award is presented annually to a coal mining company for achieving the most exemplary mine reclamation in the country. The Good Neighbor Award is presented to a mine operator for successfully working with the surrounding landowners and the community while completing mining and reclamation.
OSMRE Director Erdos said coal mining companies that receive the awards are typically top producers who understand the bigger picture.
“I grew up in a coal community, and I’ve spent my career working at both the state and federal level,” Erdos said. “This award highlights operators who look at a landscape not just for what it yields today, but for how it can sustain communities for generations to come. Congratulations to Navajo Transitional Energy Company LLC for being a leader in this aspect.”
Production at the Cordero Mine began in 1976, and at the adjacent Caballo Rojo Mine in 1982. The two mines merged in the mid-1990s to become Cordero Rojo Mine. During 2024, the Cordero Rojo workforce completed 1,145 acres of regraded backfill, 1,114 acres of topsoil laydown, and 528 acres of permanent seeding. Nearly all members of the workforce were involved in the reclamation process, allowing for a wide range of perspectives and ingenuity to promote a stable landscape that meets postmining land use. Cordero Rojo staff worked with researchers at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources to develop test plots to determine the effects of using coal char — an enhanced coal product — as a soil amendment. Cordero Rojo and university staff continue to monitor the test plots to determine if coal char is a viable alternate use for coal.
“We are proud to receive both the National Award and Good Neighbor Award, which reflect Navajo Transitional Energy Company’s commitment to the environment and community,” said Kyle Colby, general manager of Cordero Rojo Mine. “Navajo Transitional Energy Company’s reclamation efforts are evidence that we believe in doing what is right and creating multi-generational solutions.”
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement has recognized high-quality coal mine land reclamation since 1986. The awards program was designed to encourage citizen and private sector involvement in the care of America’s resources, recognize the outstanding reclamation that is being achieved by companies under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.
For more information on the Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Awards, visit https://www.osmre.gov/active-awards.