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4w ago

Trump Signs Executive Order to Revive U.S. Coal Industry

The order reclassifies coal as a critical mineral, lifts mining restrictions, and extends the operation of aging coal plants to meet growing energy demands.

A pile of processed anthracite coal at Superior Coal Prep Plant, Hegins, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 14, 2020. Picture taken July 14, 2020. REUTERS/Dane Rhys/File photo
President Donald Trump walks from the Oval Office to speak at an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump departs after signing an executive order at an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 7, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo

Overview

  • President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at revitalizing the coal industry, reversing policies that phased out coal production.
  • The order designates coal as a critical mineral, allowing for expedited mining and leasing on federal lands while ending an Obama-era moratorium on coal leasing.
  • Emergency powers will be used to keep older coal-fired power plants operational to address rising electricity demand driven by AI data centers and manufacturing.
  • The directive tasks federal agencies with removing barriers to coal production and prioritizing coal exports and technology development.
  • Environmental groups and market analysts have criticized the move, citing coal's high carbon emissions and its declining competitiveness against natural gas and renewables.