Trump to Be Honored by Coal Advocacy Group as Administration Moves to Reverse Key Climate Rules
The Washington Coal Club, a nonprofit that promotes coal, will present President Donald Trump with a new industry honor. The group will name Trump its first “Undisputed Champion of Coal,” recognizing his administration’s efforts to roll back greenhouse gas rules and encourage coal-fired energy.
The accolade comes as the administration implements major energy policy changes. Five coal-fired power facilities are set to receive funds, reports said. Energy Secretary Chris Wright will also issue an executive order requiring the Department of Defense to buy coal-generated electricity. These moves imply a major policy change toward boosting coal’s energy share.
Recent administration actions center on the EPA’s 2009 endangerment determination. Six greenhouse gases from power plants and cars impair public health and welfare, according to the study. The discovery underpins federal emissions regulations for autos and energy plants.
A final EPA regulation rescinding that endangerment determination is due this week. Finalizing the judgment would remove federal obligations for automakers and other regulated companies to measure, report, and comply with greenhouse gas emission guidelines. Companies would no longer have to certify compliance with those criteria, a major regulatory change.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called it one of the major deregulatory measures in U.S. history. Administration supporters say pulling back these regulations will lower company compliance costs, lessen regulatory burdens, and boost domestic energy output, especially in coal.
President Trump has called climate change a “hoax” and a “con job.” He withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement, an international climate deal to prevent industrial-driven global warming, on his first day back in office last year. That decision showed the administration’s pivot from international climate commitments to domestic energy objectives.
Climate experts and environmentalists have slammed the proposed revisions. Harvard University professor and scientific historian Naomi Oreskes suggested that restoring coal-powered plants while limiting renewable energy projects could raise energy and environmental costs. Critics argue such policies could raise air pollution and health concerns.
Environmental groups warn that rescinding the endangerment decision may be difficult legally. Fred Krupp, head of the Environmental Defense Fund, said the 2007 Supreme Court ruling gave the EPA the power and duty to control climate pollution. The endangerment conclusion has driven federal climate regulation since that verdict, he said.
Environmental groups foresee legal fights if the administration’s proposed rule takes effect since removing the finding would undermine decades of government climate policy. The rollback’s supporters say it restores balance by lowering federal oversight and giving industry more flexibility.
The developments show a national energy policy division. Some believe deregulation and coal development are necessary for economic growth and energy independence. Many believe federal climate laws are necessary to preserve public health and address long-term environmental problems.
As the Washington Coal Club presents its inaugural award, the energy, climate control, and coal future discussion in the US is set to escalate. With regulatory revisions and court challenges, the following weeks may shape federal environmental policy.
Sources:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Defense
