Trump’s latest plan to revive coal power: Make the military buy it

On Wednesday, President Trump was recognized by the Washington Coal Club, a fossil-fuel advocacy group, with an award that named him the 'Undisputed Champion of Clean, Beautiful Coal.' This accolade provided a platform for Trump to unveil his latest initiative aimed at bolstering the coal industry in the United States. In a striking move, the President announced an executive order that would mandate the military to purchase coal. This comes at a time when coal remains the second most costly energy source for the U.S. grid, surpassed only by nuclear power, while being outperformed by natural gas, wind, solar, and hydroelectric sources. Moreover, coal is notorious for being the largest contributor to pollution, releasing harmful particulates, chemicals that lead to acid rain, and toxic metals present in coal ash. Its carbon dioxide emissions are also the highest per unit of energy produced. During Trump's previous term, there had been a significant shift away from coal usage in the U.S. grid, a trend that has continued despite ongoing Republican assertions of supporting free-market principles. The current administration appears to believe that the only feasible way to sustain the coal industry is through direct government intervention. Initial efforts included declaring an energy emergency, which was used to justify keeping coal plants that were set to close operational. However, this emergency declaration has come under scrutiny, facing legal challenges due to its questionable interpretation of the Federal Power Act.