Trump signs executive orders supporting US coal industry

President Donald Trump is signing a series of executive orders today aimed at revitalizing the U.S. coal industry

He's expected to use emergency powers to keep certain aging coal-fired power plants operational

We're ending Joe Biden's war on beautiful, clean coal once and for all

And all those plants that have been closed are going to be opened if they're modern enough or they'll be ripped down and brand new ones will be built

These facilities, originally scheduled for retirement, would continue producing energy in response to rising U.S. power demands

driven by the growth of data centers, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles

The orders will also direct federal agencies to identify coal reserves on public lands

prioritize coal leasing, and lift existing barriers to mining. Additionally, they call for ending a moratorium on new federal coal leases implemented during the Obama administration

and require agencies to reverse policies aimed at phasing out coal production

Trump's actions seek to reverse a decline in U.S. coal use for electricity generation

which has fallen from supplying 45 percent of the nation's power in 2010 to just 16 percent in 2023

as the resource has lost ground to cheaper natural gas over the years

Environmental groups have criticized the move, arguing that coal is both economically uncompetitive and environmentally harmful

warning these executive actions could slow progress on clean energy and result in higher costs for consumers

Meanwhile, the Trump administration maintains that policies aimed at phasing out coal were driving up energy prices for Americans

and says these new rules will result in more affordable power. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Jack Elmer