In a letter to the chair of the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, Mead takes issue with a letter drafted by two other governors that targets coal.

Oregon governor John Kitzhaber and Washington governor Jay Inslee wrote to the CEQ on March 25.

What the two governors have suggested could potentially affect more than just coal exports.

Inslee in particular has a potential beef with coal exports, given the heat that has come over the Cherry Point coal export terminal proposal.

However, the NEPA plan could extend even to the leases for coal operations.

“I am respectful of the opinions of these fellow governors, but I disagree with them on the potential misuse of the National Environmental Policy Act with respect to coal leasing and exports,” he said.

“Coal will provide electricity across the globe in coming years and I believe these export facilities will power economic growth here in America.

“I support a thorough site-specific environmental and economic analysis of these projects.

“I support addressing all of the concerns and questions raised by the citizens of Oregon and Washington.

“However, I do not support the novel use of NEPA as a political opinion piece on global climate change.”

Meads letter states: “I note that Governor Kitzhaber and Governor Inslee’s letter does not mention northwest commodities – like lumber – for climate change analysis under NEPA.

“Rather, their letter targets one commodity – coal – and the producers, transporters and workers who deal with it.

“This undermines the fundamental fairness of the process and potentially sets US regions, states and resources at odds with each other”

The Washington and Oregon governors also called for “proper policies for price coal leases from federal lands …”

Mead said in 2011 the director of the Bureau of Land Management stated that evidence showed BLM’s practice had ensured fair market values were received for leases.

He writes: “With all due respect, the CEQ should neither be determining policies for pricing federal coal leases nor establishing new policies for the issuing of coal leases based on a global climate change analysis.

“Coal is the fastest growing fuel source in the world and 40 per cent of the electricity in this country comes from coal.

“I welcome an environmental analysis that is legally consistent, based in science and also provides a fair opportunity for American coal to compete with coal around the globe”