In Washington on Tuesday, President Donald Trump enacted several executive orders designed to revitalize the waning coal industry, a dependable yet environmentally detrimental energy source that has been in decline for years.
Through four separate directives, Trump exercised his emergency powers to permit certain aging coal-powered plants, which were on track for closure, to maintain operations in response to increasing U.S. energy demands driven by growth in data centers, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles.
Additionally, Trump instructed federal agencies to locate coal resources on federal lands, remove obstacles to coal mining, and prioritize coal leasing across national properties. In conjunction with these measures, Trump also signed a proclamation granting coal-fired power plants a two-year reprieve from federal mandates to reduce emissions of hazardous chemicals, including mercury, arsenic, and benzene.
His administration previously offered avenues for power plants and other industrial polluters to seek exemptions from Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Under Trump appointee Lee Zeldin, the EPA established an electronic portal for regulated entities to petition for a presidential exemption from numerous Biden-era environmental regulations.
Championing coal as “beautiful,” Trump asserted his aim to bolster its use in energy production despite the industry’s prolonged decline. At a White House ceremony, flanked by coal miners in hard hats, Trump declared: “I call it beautiful, clean coal. I told my people, never use the word coal unless you put beautiful, clean before it.”
He emphasized: “Pound for pound, coal is the single most reliable, durable, secure and powerful form of energy. It’s cheap, incredibly efficient, high density, and it’s almost indestructible.”
Trump’s directives also tasked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum with “acknowledging the end” of the Obama-era halt on coal leasing on federal lands and mandated federal agencies to reverse policies encouraging a shift away from coal production. Further aims included promoting coal and coal technology exports, as well as speeding the development of coal technologies.
Another target of Trump’s orders was what he perceived as Democratic state overreach to curb energy production for climate change measures. He instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to take “all appropriate action” against such state laws.
However, dissent came from the U.S. Climate Alliance co-chairs, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. They asserted that Trump’s orders unlawfully challenged states’ rights to address climate issues independently, emphasizing their commitment to combating climate change and bolstering the clean energy sector. The alliance, a bipartisan group of 24 governors, represents nearly 55% of the U.S. populace.
Trump, a proponent of U.S. “energy dominance” on the world stage, argued that coal could meet rising electricity needs from manufacturing and data centers integral to AI. “We’re ending Joe Biden’s war on beautiful, clean coal once and for all,” Trump proclaimed, indicating plans to reopen modern closed plants or build new ones, thereby returning miners to work.
In 2018, Trump directed then-Energy Secretary Rick Perry to strengthen distressed coal-fired and nuclear plants, citing national and economic security concerns. Although Trump considered imposing a purchase mandate on grid operators for coal and nuclear power, industry groups opposed the idea, arguing it would inflate costs and disrupt markets.
Despite Trump’s efforts, experts suggest any momentary boost in coal’s fortunes is likely outweighed by the economic viability of natural gas and renewables like wind and solar, given the shift in U.S. electrical generation over recent decades.
Once accounting for over half of U.S. power generation, coal’s contribution dwindled to approximately 16% by 2023, increasingly replaced by natural gas, which accounts for 43%, along with nuclear and renewable sources. The Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana, encompassing the nation’s most extensive coal mines and the pollutant-heavy Colstrip Generating Station, stands at the forefront of what Republicans label the “war on coal.”
EPA regulations, finalized the previous year, pose a potential closure threat to Colstrip unless significant investment is made to meet emission standards. Concurrently, a proposed Biden administration policy would end new coal lease approvals for federal properties in this region.
Trump promised to reverse these actions, appointing Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to head a new National Energy Dominance Council, focusing on bolstering production of traditional energy forms, including oil, gas, and coal.
Having extensive authority over pertinent federal agencies, this council seeks to reduce bureaucratic hurdles, increase private investment, and prioritize innovation over restrictive regulations, in Trump’s view. Separately, Zeldin outlined plans to repeal 31 environmental regulations, including one foundational to U.S. climate change policy.
Industry body praises Trump’s coal-centric approach, with Rich Nolan of the National Mining Association commending efforts to secure the electricity supply and recognizing coal’s strategic value. Conversely, environmental organizations criticized Trump’s repeated attempts to revive coal.
Kit Kennedy of the Natural Resources Defense Council questioned the sustainability of Trump’s coal strategy, advocating instead for investment in renewable energy and modern grid infrastructure rather than perpetuating reliance on outdated energy sources.