The Trump administration announced Monday a sweeping plan to revitalize the U.S. coal industry, pledging $625 million in federal investment and reopening 13.1 million acres of public land across states including Montana, Wyoming, and Tennessee for coal mining.
The initiative, backed by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), is a central piece of President Donald Trump’s “Beautiful Clean Coal” agenda, which the White House says is aimed at lowering energy costs, creating jobs, and bolstering U.S. industrial competitiveness.
Investment Breakdown
According to the administration, the funding package includes:
$350 million to recommission and modernize existing coal plants.
$175 million for new coal-powered projects in rural communities.
$50 million for advanced waste management systems designed to extend the life of coal production.
Additional funds allocated for research into efficiency and innovation in coal extraction and use.
“Beautiful, clean coal will be essential to powering America’s reindustrialization and winning the AI race,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement. “These funds will help keep our nation’s coal plants operating and will be vital to keeping electricity prices low and the lights on without interruption.”
Regulatory Shifts and Expanded Land Access
The plan follows directives laid out in the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which passed Congress earlier this summer. The Bureau of Land Management confirmed it will open millions of acres of federal land for coal leasing while lowering royalty rates paid by energy companies to extract resources.
Interior Secretary Burgum framed the decision as a win for energy workers. “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,” Burgum said.
The Environmental Protection Agency will also begin repealing several regulations that officials said “created unnecessary hurdles” for coal producers over the past decade.
A Reversal of Biden-Era Policies
The announcement marks a sharp reversal from the policies of former President Joe Biden, whose administration ended coal leasing in Montana and Wyoming—two of the nation’s leading coal producers—and imposed strict emissions rules requiring power plants to adopt carbon capture technology.
Trump, who has made energy independence a pillar of his second-term agenda, has repeatedly criticized those restrictions. “We’re ending Joe Biden’s war on beautiful clean coal once and for all,” Trump said earlier this year when signing an executive order directing agencies to expand domestic coal production.
Coal’s Role in the Energy Mix
Coal currently provides roughly 15–16 percent of America’s electricity supply, according to DOE estimates, and administration officials argue it will remain essential as demand grows from emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
“Coal built the greatest industrial engine the world has ever known, and with President Trump’s leadership, it will help do so again,” Wright said.
At a news conference, Burgum echoed the president’s enthusiasm. “Everybody likes to say, ‘drill baby, drill.’ I know that President Trump has another initiative for us, which is, ‘mine baby, mine.’”
Looking Ahead
The administration says the $625 million investment is only the beginning of a broader push to strengthen the coal sector, arguing that the industry’s stability is key to national security, affordable energy, and economic growth. Critics, however, are expected to challenge the move, pointing to environmental concerns and global trends toward renewable energy.
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