October 7, 2025 - A large group of Republican legislators flanked West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton as he checked off the numerous executive actions taken by the Trump administration.

In nearly 10 months in office, President Donald Trump has dialed back the federal government’s support for renewables and implemented policies favorable to fossil fuels, including coal.

Hamilton says in his 40 years in the business, he’s never seen a president so friendly to coal.

“Our miners deserve what they’re getting today,” he said. “Because of President Trump and his energy team, they can go to bed for the first time in decades and know that they have a doggone job in the morning.”

Republican lawmakers flank West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton in the Capitol rotunda.

However, Hamilton acknowledged the weakness in the market for metallurgical coal. West Virginia is the leading U.S. producer of the coal that’s used to make steel.

In that market, West Virginia has some formidable competition.

“We’re facing extremely stiff, fierce competition from Australia, which is the leading met producing country,” he said. “They’re nudging us out. So we have to just be mindful that our met industry is facing some strong headwinds.”

In August, nearly 500 coal workers were laid off in southern West Virginia because of the challenging market.

Domestically, 82% of new electricity generating capacity installed in the first half of the year was solar and storage. No new coal generation has been built in more than a decade.

Appalachian Power executives told state lawmakers earlier this year that they do not plan to build any new coal generation. Mon Power recently filed a plan with state regulators to build a natural gas plant in the next decade, but no new coal generation.

Nationwide, wind and solar last year surpassed coal in electricity production.