President Donald Trump has released a new series of executive orders focused on American energy.
Trump signed four orders aimed at helping the coal industry on Tuesday, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The orders entail allowing some coal-fired power plants to keep working to meet power demands in the U.S., identifying potential places for coal mining on federal lands, and removing barriers from doing so.
The actions also involve permitting coal-fired plants a two-year exemption from federal requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals and offering exemptions on regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Associated Press reported statements made by the president at the White House signing ceremony as coal miners in hard hats were present.
“I call it beautiful, clean coal. I told my people, never use the word coal unless you put beautiful, clean before it,” Trump said.
“Pound for pound, coal is the single most reliable, durable, secure and powerful form of energy,” the president said, adding, “It’s cheap, incredibly efficient, high density, and it’s almost indestructible.”
Tuesday also saw Trump take aim at states imposing climate change initiatives on their respective industries.
That order, entitled “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach,” said that “many States have enacted, or are in the process of enacting, burdensome and ideologically motivated ‘climate change’ or energy policies that threaten American energy dominance and our economic and national security.”
Should coal use be encouraged?
It directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to “identify all State and local laws, regulations, causes of action, policies, and practices (collectively, State laws) burdening the identification, development, siting, production, or use of domestic energy resources.”
Regarding what laws the Trump administration wants to target, the president’s order identified specific language.
“The Attorney General shall prioritize the identification of any such State laws purporting to address ‘climate change’ or involving ‘environmental, social, and governance’ initiatives, ‘environmental justice,’ carbon or ‘greenhouse gas’ emissions, and funds to collect carbon penalties or carbon taxes.”
Coal is far from perfect, but one thing Trump’s decision will do is prioritize American coal miners and keep them at work.
Although the outlet noted that 16 percent of electricity came from coal as of 2023, a decline from 45 percent in 2010, there are still Americans who work in the industry and rely on a salary from it to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads.
It is easy enough to state an intention to move away from coal, but it’s not so easy in execution when American workers’ livelihoods will be lost from the decision.
Trump’s orders are receiving pushback from Democrats, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the co-chairs of the U.S. Climate Alliance.
“The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states’ independent constitutional authority. We are a nation of states — and laws — and we will not be deterred,” they wrote. “We will keep advancing solutions to the climate crisis that safeguard Americans’ fundamental right to clean air and water [and] grow the clean energy economy.”
Again, it’s easy to make grandiose statements like this, but the American coal miner is going to be in Trump’s corner after Tuesday.
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