April 9, 2025 -  President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Tuesday afternoon that the White House says will reverse federal policies that moved the country away from coal production, marking a renewed push to support what he calls America’s “beautiful clean coal industry.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the executive order is part of the administration’s effort to ensure “affordable and reliable energy” across the country.

The order directs federal agencies to lift restrictions on coal mining, including the formal end of a moratorium on coal leasing on federal lands — a policy put in place during the Obama administration.

The order also reclassifies coal as a “mineral” rather than a nonrenewable fossil fuel, a move the White House says will give the government more flexibility in promoting its use.

West Virginia, long considered the heart of America’s coal country, may be significantly affected by the policy shift.

Though coal employment has declined sharply in recent decades, the industry remains a major part of the state’s identity and economy.

As of this year, about 41,000 Americans work in the coal industry, a number that includes miners, power plant workers, and transportation jobs — many of them in Appalachia.

Trump’s move represents a stark contrast to the climate and energy policies of the Obama and Biden administrations, which sought to transition the country toward renewable energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The order also builds on previous Trump actions, including the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and the rollback of electric vehicle incentives.

The order will be signed during an event at the White House Tuesday afternoon.