April 14, 2025 - Coal production in the United States has been in decline for decades. Wyoming coal mines have been feeling the pain.

Just last week, a Kemmerer coal mine laid off 28 workers. 

That downward trend was expected to continue.

But then on Tuesday President Trump signed executive orders aimed at revitalizing the coal industry.

“We’re bringing back an industry that was abandoned,” Trump said from the podium at the large ceremony with a host of invited coal miners, referring several times to “beautiful, clean coal.”

President Trump Signs Executive Orders Supporting Coal Industry 

The President took a moment to call out Wyoming Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming. U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming, as well as U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming.

The Department of the Interior is reaffirming its commitment to the Trump administration’s goal of American Energy Dominance with a renewed focus on coal.

The Department will implement a series of bold policy moves and regulatory reforms to position coal as a cornerstone of the nation’s energy strategy by ensuring federally managed lands remain open and accessible for responsible energy development.

“The Golden Age is here, and we are starting to ‘Mine, Baby, Mine’ for clean American coal,” said Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

“Interior is unlocking America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation.”

The BLM will pursue the amendment process to the Buffalo and Miles City resource management plans in Wyoming and Montana.

Under the current plans, future coal leasing is heavily restricted, making it much harder for new federal coal projects to get off the ground.

Over time, these plans could significantly reduce the availability of federal coal reserves in two of the country’s biggest coal-producing regions.

By revising these plans, Interior would create a path forward to access untapped federal coal reserves, especially in high-production areas like the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.

This new rule making process will help reduce burdensome federal oversight and give more power to the states on how to handle complaints about coal mining violations.

The department plans to lower royalty rates can help keep mines open and maintain local tax revenue.

Trump also signed an order to the Attorney General to investigate & stop illegal state climate actions.

 

 

Coal exports have been blocked by Western states. The Trump administration wants to put an end to it so states like Wyoming can sell their coal abroad.