U.S. Opens Land for Coal Mining, Offers $625-M to Coal-Fired Power Plants

The Trump administration said it will open 13 million acres of federal land for coal mining and provide $625 million to recommission or modernize coal-fired power plants, as President Donald Trump continues efforts to reverse the years-long decline of the U.S. coal industry, Matthew Daly and Todd Richmond reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The Energy Department has already ordered fossil-fueled plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania to remain open past their retirement dates to meet surging U.S. power demand. (Photo: Sam Nash Wikimedia Commons)

The Energy and Interior departments, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, announced the measures in line with Trump’s April executive orders aimed at reviving coal, a reliable but highly polluting energy source that has steadily shrunk due to environmental regulations and competition from cheaper natural gas.

Environmental groups denounced the actions, which come as the administration has curtailed renewable energy initiatives, including freezing offshore wind permits, ending clean-energy tax credits, and blocking wind and solar projects on federal land.

The Energy Department has already ordered fossil-fueled plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania to remain open past their retirement dates to meet surging U.S. power demand, driven by growth in data centers, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles.

The latest actions expand that effort, mandating greater access to federal land for coal mining and streamlining reviews of coal leases.