Appearing to dismiss environmental concerns around coal power, President Trump says he's authorizing his administration "to immediately begin producing energy with BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN COAL." Trump made the comment late Monday on Truth Social, noting "other countries, in particular China," have been able "to gain tremendous economic advantage over us by opening up hundreds of all coal fire power plants." "It's not clear what Trump was referring to or how his social media decree would affect US policy," Bloomberg reports, noting Trump signed an executive order declaring a national energy emergency and directing the Environmental Protection Agency to boost fossil fuel production nearly two months ago.
Last week, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the administration was looking at using emergency powers to reopen shuttered coal-fired power plants and keep others from fully closing, per Reuters. Some 120 are expected to close in the next five years, per Bloomberg. Coal accounts for 15% of US power generation, down from more than 50% at the turn of the century. Environmental regulations and cheaper alternatives have made coal power uneconomic. But the EPA said this month that it would reconsider and potentially roll back regulations limiting mercury and greenhouse gas pollution, which could lower operational costs for coal plants, per CTV News. Environmental activists warn that walking back regulations could harm human health and further contribute to climate change. (The UK has phased out coal power entirely.)
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