By Anya M. Galli Robertson
On March 28 2017, President Donald Trump signed the “Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth” Executive Order. The order rolls back a slate of Obama Administration climate and environmental regulations including the Clean Power Plan, the moratorium on new coal mining leases on federal lands, the roadmap for national greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and the use of the “social cost of carbon” analysis in regulatory review. The setting for the press event—surrounded by coal miners at the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency—signaled the end of what opponents called the “war on coal” and the beginning of a new era of regulatory freedom in which coal comes first in the national energy mix. Just before signing the order, President Trump turned to the coal miners behind him, saying “come on, fellas. Basically, you know what this is? You know what it says, right? You’re going back to work.”
Although the Trump Administration is telling a different story, coal won’t be making a full comeback.
In this context, the discourse of “bringing back coal jobs” is more political than it is practical.
Although the Trump Administration is telling a different story, coal won’t be making a full comeback.
In this context, the discourse of “bringing back coal jobs” is more political than it is practical.
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