‘President Trump bringing back coal is the epitome of making America energy independent and dominant again.’
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL (March 18, 2025) – In a post on Truth Social Monday evening, President Trump said he is authorizing his administration to “immediately begin producing energy with beautiful, clean coal.” This would be a reversal of Biden administration policies, which instituted new rules and regulations with the goal of phasing out coal power entirely in the United States.
The Biden-era rules mandated coal plants cut or capture 90 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions by 2032, a standard too expensive or impractical to meet. Biden also committed the United States to the so-called “Powering Past Coal Alliance,” which had the goal of banning all coal-fired power plants, and banned new coal mining leases on federal land.
The following statements from climate and energy experts at The Heartland Institute may be used for attribution. For more comments, refer to the contact information below. To book a Heartland guest on your program, please contact Director of Communications Jim Lakely at [email protected] and (cell) 312/731-9364.
“Coal and natural gas are by far the most abundant and affordable energy sources. Utilizing anything else foolishly places our economy at a disadvantage to other nations and needlessly raises energy costs for American households. Coal and natural gas do not require the large-scale killing of birds and bats and dolphins and whales like solar and wind power, and they do not require clear-cutting forests and destroying ecosystems en masse. Coal and natural gas don’t require the mining of rare earth metals and the rampant toxic waste that comes with solar panels and wind turbines. President Trump is doing the right thing for America.”
James Taylor
President
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
“Coal was the dominant source of electricity generation for most of the 20th century for a reason. Engineers knew it could generate electricity reliably, and economists and the public knew it was relatively cheap. Coal’s decline has, not coincidentally, been accompanied by ever-rising energy prices and ever more unreliable electric power. It was always foolish to pray to the gods of wind and solar in the hopes they would keep our refrigerators, lights, and climate control systems working.
“President Trump bringing back coal is the epitome of making America energy independent and dominant again. Our bank balances will also be better off because of this move.”
H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D.
Director, Arthur B. Robinson Center on Climate and Environmental Policy
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
“Coal power plants have long provided reliable, affordable energy, fueling economic growth and industrial development. Unlike wind and solar, coal plants generate consistent baseload power, ensuring grid stability without dependence on weather conditions. Modern clean-coal technologies significantly reduce emissions, making them more environmentally viable. Additionally, coal remains abundant and domestically available, reducing reliance on foreign energy sources.
“The push for intermittent renewables has led to rising electricity costs and grid instability, issues coal can help resolve. As energy demand surges, abandoning coal is impractical. Instead, investing in cleaner coal technology can ensure energy security, economic growth, and a balanced energy mix that doesn’t sacrifice reliability for political agendas.”
Anthony Watts
Senior Fellow
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
The Heartland Institute is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our website or call 312/377-4000.
H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D., is the Director of the Arthur B. Robinson Center on Climate and Environmental Policy and the managing editor of Environment & Climate News.
Anthony Watts is a senior fellow for environment and climate at The Heartland Institute.
