Overview

• President Trump signed a series of executive orders to revive the coal industry, reversing Biden-era environmental regulations and prioritizing coal mining on federal lands.
• The measures include using emergency authorities to keep aging coal-fired power plants running to meet surging electricity demand from AI, data centers, and electric vehicles.
• The National Energy Dominance Council is tasked with designating coal as a critical mineral, streamlining permits for new mining projects, and promoting coal exports.
• The orders also call for rescinding federal policies that transition away from coal and challenge state-level regulations perceived as harmful to the coal sector.
• Critics argue the move is environmentally damaging and unlikely to reverse coal's long-term decline due to competition from cheaper natural gas and renewable energy sources.