U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA), co-chair of the Congressional Coal Caucus, voiced support for a newly signed executive order that he says is aimed at restoring America’s coal industry.
In Pennsylvania alone, the industry produced 42.6 million tons of coal in 2023, contributing to making the state the third-largest electricity producer in the U.S. Coal in Pennsylvania also supports more than 11,500 jobs and generates $3.8 billion in economic output, according to Meuser.
“President Trump continues to lead with bold action to make the United States energy dominant once again,” said Meuser, who joined the president at the White House Tuesday to sign the order. “Today’s executive order marks a major step forward for clean coal and for the future of American energy.
“It reverses the damaging and ideological policies of the Biden administration and opens the door for job creation, grid reliability, and economic growth — particularly here in Pennsylvania,” he added.
Specifically, the order directs the National Energy Dominance Council to classify coal as a “mineral” under Executive Order 14241, and directs agencies to lift restrictions and prioritize leasing of coal resources on federal lands.
Additionally, it rescinds anti-coal policies and mandates that “unfairly favor intermittent energy sources,” recognizes clean coal as a strategic resource, and accelerates development of coal technologies, according to a summary of the order provided by Meuser’s staff.
The order also promotes U.S. coal exports and encourages international offtake agreements, directs a review of coal’s role in the steel industry as a “critical material” under federal law, and facilitates permitting efficiencies for coal-related infrastructure, states the summary.
It also pushes for using coal to power growing industries, such as AI data centers, the summary says, noting that as electricity demand rises due to AI expansion and domestic manufacturing growth, coal will be vital to keeping the lights on and prices low.
Meuser also pointed out that anthracite coal — found in abundance in Pennsylvania — is essential to steel production, a sector vital to national defense and infrastructure. The executive order directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether coal used in steelmaking meets the definition of a “critical material,” which could further strengthen domestic supply chains and safeguard American industry, he said.
“President Trump is delivering real results for American workers, families, and businesses,” said Meuser. “His executive order embraces an all-of-the-above and all-of-the-below energy policy — one that values American oil and natural gas, nuclear, clean coal, hydropower, and more.
“This is the only realistic path to true energy dominance,” he said.
While DOE says that coal-fired electricity has become “cleaner than ever,” coal is a fossil fuel that’s still responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions and environment-polluting coal ash. The phrase “clean coal” sometimes refers to types of technology that are used to physically clean coal before it is burned or capture carbon related to its burning.