Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241
This executive order, titled Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241, directs federal agencies to prioritize and expand domestic coal production, export, and use. It designates coal as a "mineral" under the framework of Executive Order 14241 (which itself aims to rapidly increase American mineral production) and seeks to remove or roll back federal barriers viewed as obstructing coal development. The order sets specific reporting deadlines, directs expedited coal leasing on federal lands with identified resources, promotes coal financing and international exports, expands the use of streamlined environmental reviews (via NEPA categorical exclusions), and calls for accelerating coal technology development. It also links coal to strategic aims like powering AI data centers and strengthening steel production. In short, the order treats coal as a high-priority national asset to be expanded aggressively—through faster permitting, expanded federal land access, financing reform, export promotion, and targeted technology development—while instructing agencies to identify and undo rules perceived as impediments to coal use. It operates as a policy directive to federal agencies rather than a new statute, and it relies on agency rulemaking and program changes to achieve its objectives, with several deadlines for reporting and action.
Key Points
- 1Designation of coal as a “mineral” under EO 14241 and a minor amendment to EO 14241, entitling coal to benefits of a mineral and adjusting section references to broaden coal’s treatment under that framework.
- 2Assessments and access on federal lands: within 60 days, key energy and land agencies must produce a consolidated report on coal resources on federal lands, impediments to mining, and policy options to enable mining by private or public actors; energy impact on electricity costs and grid reliability must be analyzed in the report.
- 3Lifting barriers on federal lands: interior and agriculture departments must prioritize coal leasing on federal lands identified in the report, expedite leasing, and use available emergency authorities to speed environmental reviews where consistent with law.
- 4Rolling back or revising actions that discourage coal: agencies must identify and, within specified timeframes (30–60 days), revise or rescind guidance, regulations, or policies that transition away from coal production or coal-fired electricity, and review financing charters and policies to eliminate preferences against coal investments, where allowed by law.
- 5Expanding coal exports and international engagement: the administration is directed to promote coal export opportunities and facilitate international offtake agreements and other actions to support the sale of U.S. coal and coal technologies abroad.
- 6use of NEPA categorical exclusions: agencies must identify existing or potential NEPA categorical exclusions that could expedite coal production and export, to be relied upon or expanded.
- 7Steel and critical materials emphasis: coal used in steelmaking should be evaluated for inclusion on the Energy Act of 2020 lists (critical materials/minerals) to enhance its federal designation and potential protections or prioritizations.
- 8AI data centers and coal-powered infrastructure: identify regions where coal-powered infrastructure can support AI/data-center needs; develop a report with findings and proposals to relevant science and energy leadership.
- 9Acceleration of coal technology: the energy secretary must push rapid development and deployment of coal technologies and related byproducts (e.g., materials for building, batteries, carbon fiber, graphite), with a detailed 90-day action plan outlining funding mechanisms and policy actions.
- 10General provisions: the order preserves agency statutory authority and budget constraints; it does not create enforceable rights in the courts; implementation is subject to appropriations and applicable law.