The Trump administration announced on Monday that it will open 13 million acres of federal land for coal mining and allocate $625 million to recommission or modernize coal-fired power plants. This move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to revive the U.S. coal industry, which has seen a long-term decline due to environmental regulations and competition from less expensive natural gas.
These actions, involving the Energy and Interior departments as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), follow executive orders signed by Trump in April aimed at boosting coal production. The administration’s steps include requiring fossil-fueled power plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania to remain operational beyond their planned retirement dates. Officials say this measure is intended to meet rising electricity demand linked to increased use of data centers, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles.
Additionally, Trump has instructed federal agencies to identify coal resources on public lands, remove barriers to mining, and prioritize leasing for coal development. A recently passed tax bill reduces royalty rates for coal mining from 12.5% to 7%, a change that supporters believe will make U.S. coal more competitive internationally.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said at a news conference: “Everybody likes to say, ‘drill, baby, drill.’ I know that President Trump has another initiative for us, which is ‘mine, baby, mine.’” He added: “By reducing the royalty rate for coal, increasing coal acres available for leasing and unlocking critical minerals from mine waste, we are strengthening our economy, protecting national security and ensuring that communities from Montana to Alabama benefit from good-paying jobs.”
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin emphasized the importance of coal as an energy source: “Americans are suffering because the past administration attempted to apply heavy-handed regulations to coal and other forms of energy it deemed unfavorable.”
Environmental groups have criticized these moves. Ted Kelly of the Environmental Defense Fund stated: “Subsidizing coal means propping up dirty, uncompetitive plants from last century – and saddling families with their high costs and pollution… We need modern, affordable clean energy solutions to power a modern economy, but the Trump administration wants to drag us back to a 1950s electric grid.” Kelly also argued that solar, wind, and battery storage are currently the most cost-effective ways to add new power generation capacity.
The EPA also announced delays on seven deadlines related to wastewater pollution standards for coal-fired plants. Industry representatives have argued that previous regulations were expensive and led to faster plant closures. Laurie Williams of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign responded: “Donald Trump and Lee Zeldin are giving big polluters a pass to dump tons and tons of toxic pollution into our waterways, with no care for how many Americans will suffer from drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food.”
The agency plans a 60-day public comment period on potential changes to regional haze rules affecting national parks and tribal reservations. Zeldin previously indicated intentions to roll back several environmental regulations.
Michelle Bloodworth of America’s Power said recent EPA rule changes would help “protect America’s electric reliability and preserve its fleet of coal-fired power plants.”
Coal’s share in U.S. electricity generation has fallen significantly over recent decades—from about 45% in 2010 down to approximately 15% in 2024—while natural gas now accounts for roughly 43%. Experts note any revival under current policies may be short-lived due to ongoing market trends favoring cheaper natural gas and renewables like wind or solar.
