Trump administration eyes looser environmental restrictions to boost coal
The Trump administration is eyeing looser restrictions on pollution and public lands as part of its effort to bolster the U.S. coal industry. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to delay by five years Biden-era standards that restrict power plants’ ability to release pollution into waterways. It also indicated that it could take further steps to potentially weaken the regulation in the meantime, saying in a press release that it is requesting information on challenges related to the Biden-era rule to “inform potential future rulemaking.” The rule in question would have been expected to reduce pollution including releases of mercury and arsenic and result in fewer cancer cases as a result. Meanwhile, the Interior Department announced that it planned to open up 13.1 million acres of federal land for coal leasing. A spokesperson for the department said specifically that it would be opening up areas blocked off in parts of North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. Additionally, the Energy Department announced that it would put $625 million toward supporting coal. This includes $350 million for recommissioning and retrofitting plants for near-term power and an additional $175 million for projects in rural areas. It’s not entirely clear where the funds come from, and a spokesperson or the department did not immediately respond to a question from The Hill. Overall, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum described the push for more coal as part of an effort to bolster AI, whose use is expected to drive up the demand for electricity. “This is as critical as any Manhattan Project we've ever talked about,” said Burgum, who also leads the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council. “If we don't win...on that front, we are defenseless. And so the battle for electricity is something that we're pursuing.” The Trump administration has repeatedly made moves to bolster fossil fuels, including coal. It has argued that these are important for meeting increased electricity demand that is accompanying the rise of AI, but it has also made moves to hamper renewable power. Environmental advocates criticized the Trump administration's decisions, pointing to coal’s significant contributions to pollution. “The Trump administration’s reckless actions announced today will hurt the American people, all to prop up the aging and outdated coal industry,” said Sierra Club Chief Program Officer Holly Bender in a written statement. “Rather than investing in clean, affordable energy to power our country, more coal will increase deadly air pollution, poison our water with harmful heavy metals, and drastically worsen the health of our loved ones,” Bender added
The Trump administration is eyeing looser restrictions on pollution and public lands as part of its effort to bolster the U.S. coal industry. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to delay by five years Biden-era standards that restrict power plants’ ability to release pollution into waterways. It also indicated that it could take further steps to...
The Trump administration is eyeing looser restrictions on pollution and public lands as part of its effort to bolster the U.S. coal industry.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to delay by five years Biden-era standards that restrict power plants’ ability to release pollution into waterways.
It also indicated that it could take further steps to potentially weaken the regulation in the meantime, saying in a press release that it is requesting information on challenges related to the Biden-era rule to “inform potential future rulemaking.”
The rule in question would have been expected to reduce pollution including releases of mercury and arsenic and result in fewer cancer cases as a result.
Meanwhile, the Interior Department announced that it planned to open up 13.1 million acres of federal land for coal leasing.
A spokesperson for the department said specifically that it would be opening up areas blocked off in parts of North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.
Additionally, the Energy Department announced that it would put $625 million toward supporting coal. This includes $350 million for recommissioning and retrofitting plants for near-term power and an additional $175 million for projects in rural areas.
It’s not entirely clear where the funds come from, and a spokesperson or the department did not immediately respond to a question from The Hill.
Overall, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum described the push for more coal as part of an effort to bolster AI, whose use is expected to drive up the demand for electricity.
“This is as critical as any Manhattan Project we've ever talked about,” said Burgum, who also leads the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council. “If we don't win...on that front, we are defenseless. And so the battle for electricity is something that we're pursuing.”
The Trump administration has repeatedly made moves to bolster fossil fuels, including coal. It has argued that these are important for meeting increased electricity demand that is accompanying the rise of AI, but it has also made moves to hamper renewable power.
Environmental advocates criticized the Trump administration's decisions, pointing to coal’s significant contributions to pollution.
“The Trump administration’s reckless actions announced today will hurt the American people, all to prop up the aging and outdated coal industry,” said Sierra Club Chief Program Officer Holly Bender in a written statement.
“Rather than investing in clean, affordable energy to power our country, more coal will increase deadly air pollution, poison our water with harmful heavy metals, and drastically worsen the health of our loved ones,” Bender added