Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241

DateIssued:April8,2025

Topic:EnvironmentalJustice,Energy

Thisexecutiveordercallsforacoordinated,government-wideeffortto promotecoalproduction,utilization,andexportation.Indoingso,itaims toreestablishcoalasacentralpillarofU.S.energypolicybydesignating itasastrategicmineralcriticaltonationalsecurity,economicstability, andtechnologicalinnovation.

Theorderunlocksaccesstoexpeditedpermitting,prioritylanduseon federallands,andeligibilityforfederalsupportmechanismspreviously reservedforcriticalmaterials.

Theorderdismantlesregulatoryandpolicybarriersthatdiscouragecoal investmentandusage.Itrequireskeyfederalagencies,includingthe DepartmentsofEnergy,Transportation,Interior,Treasury,and Commerce,toidentifyandeliminateinternalpolicies,programs,and financingrulesrestrictingcoal-poweredinfrastructure.Theseprovisions markasignificantpolicyshiftintendedtoreinvigoratethecoalindustry andintegrateitintothefutureofU.S.energyandmanufacturing strategy.

HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?

Thisexecutiveorderisenforcedthroughastructured,time-sensitive,and agency-specificframeworkoverseenbytheNationalEnergyDominance Council(NEDC)toensurecentralizedoversightandaccountability.

Within30days,theSecretariesofState,Agriculture,Commerce,and Energy,aswellastheChiefExecutiveOfficeroftheInternational DevelopmentFinanceCorporationandthePresidentoftheExport-Import BankoftheUnitedStatesmustidentifyandrollbackanypoliciesthat restrictcoalusage.TheAdministratoroftheEnvironmentalProtection Agency,aswellastheSecretariesofTransportation,Interior,Energy,Labor, andTreasury,willassessanti-coalguidanceandproposereversals. AgenciesmustalsoreportpotentialNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct exclusionstostreamlinecoalprojects.

Within60days,theSecretariesoftheInterior,Agriculture,andEnergyshall submitaconsolidatedreporttothePresidentthatidentifiescoalreserves onfederallands,proposeswaystoeaseminingrestrictions,andprioritizes leasingandreviews.Theymustalsoevaluatehowcoal-poweredsites couldsupportAIdatacentersandissuerecommendationsforexpansion.

Within90days,theSecretaryofEnergymustprovidethePresident, throughtheNEDCChair,withacomprehensiveplandetailingthefinancial tools,initiatives,andpolicymeasuresimplementedtospeedupthe developmentandrolloutofcoaltechnologies.

HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?

TheimplicationsofthisexecutiveorderforBlackcommunitiesare complexandpotentiallyfar-reaching,touchingonenvironmentaljustice, economicopportunity,andpublichealth.Historically,manyBlack communitiesintheU.S.havebeendisproportionatelyimpactedby environmentalhazards,includingpollutionfromcoal-firedpowerplants, exposuretocoalash,andproximitytoextractiveindustrialoperations.The rollbackofenvironmentalprotections,accelerationofcoaldevelopment onpubliclands,andtheexpansionofcoal-relatedinfrastructurecould exacerbatetheseexistingenvironmentalburdens,particularlyin communitiesalreadystrugglingwithpoorairquality,limitedaccessto healthcare,andunderinvestmentingreeninfrastructure.

Proponentsoftheorderarguethatexpandingcoalproductionwill advancejobs.However,researchshowsthatcoalemploymentis geographicallylimited.Promotinghigh-payingcoaljobsdoesnot guaranteeequitableaccessforBlackworkersunlesspairedwith intentionaloutreach,anti-discriminationenforcement,andworkforce developmenttargetedathistoricallyexcludedpopulations.

Furthermore,thisorderreversesthemovementtowardtheBiden administration’sjustenergytransitionpoliciesdesignedtoincludeand upliftmarginalizedcommunitiesintheshifttowardsustainableenergy.By emphasizingcoalasapermanentenergyfixtureratherthanalegacy industryindecline,theordereffectivelysidelinesinvestmentsinclean energysectorsthathaveshownpromiseingeneratingsafer,healthier, andmoreaccessiblejobopportunitiesforBlackandbrownworkers.

HOWARECBCMEMBERSRESPONDING?

MembersoftheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)havedemonstrateda commitmenttoenvironmentaljusticefordecades.OnApril1,2025, SenatorCoryBooker,ChairoftheSenateEnvironmentalJusticeCaucus, gavearecord-breaking25-hourspeech,wherehecharacterizedthe TrumpAdministrationasan“existentialthreat”toeffortstoaddress climatechange:

“DonaldTrumpisthreateningourchildren’sfutureandhurtingour nation’seconomy.[...]Thisadministrationisrollingbackeffortsto reduceemissionsfrompowerplantsandlettingpolluterspolluteour airmore.”FullStatement

ToreadmoreabouttheCBC’slegacyonenvironmentaljusticeissues,visit Avoice,ourvirtuallibrary.