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• The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $625 million investment aimed at “reinvigorating” the American coal industry to support U.S. reindustrialization and the rising energy demands of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• The funding is allocated for various projects, including $350 million for recommissioning and retrofitting coal plants, and smaller amounts for rural community projects and wastewater management.
• Separately, the Secretary of the Interior announced the opening of 13.1 million acres of federal land for coal leasing, significantly expanding access to federal land for mining.
• Climate and public health advocates swiftly condemned the investment, labeling it a “wealth transfer” to wealthy fossil fuel executives and a “bailout” for a failing, non-competitive industry.
• Critics argue that the administration is choosing to invest in expensive, dirty coal instead of affordable, clean energy (solar, wind), thereby harming public health and environmental progress.
• Environmental groups, such as Earthjustice, pledged to take the administration to court to oppose the unlawful actions taken to prop up the coal industry.