July 6, 2025 - The West Virginia Coal Association is praising the passage of the massive budget bill passed by Congress on Thursday, however, not every coal mining organization is on board.

The controversial bill made its second round through the House of Representatives with a vote of 218-214, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign Friday evening. All Democrats and two Republicans voted against the bill.

The West Virginia Coal Association says the passage marks an “important step toward restoring balance and accountability in American energy policy.” The organization applauded the Trump administration, as well as West Virginia’s Congressional delegation, all four of whom voted in favor of the bill, also called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

“For years, the coal industry has been burdened by excessive regulation and uncertainty. The OBBB helps reverse that trend by implementing reforms that ease permitting, improve access to federal lands, and eliminate policies that placed domestic producers at a disadvantage,” said Chris Hamilton, president of the WVCA.

The WVCA points out that the bill includes several changes they have sought to “level the playing field” in the energy sector, such as phased reduction of certain clean energy tax credits, phasing out electric vehicle and charging stations subsidies, a 10-year delay in methane emission fees, recognition of base load power generation’s importance in the nation’s electric grid, and incorporation of certain coals as critical minerals for advanced manufacturing.

“These provisions support a more balanced approach to energy development while reaffirming the importance of coal as a dependable source of affordable, baseload power. The legislation provides greater certainty for operators, workers, and communities that rely on a strong coal economy— particularly in West Virginia,” Hamilton said.

While the WVCA supports the bill, the United Mine Workers of America, however, spoke out against it prior to its passage. On June 27, the UMWA released a letter by UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts, who is from West Virginia, calling the bill “dangerous.”

“This legislation isn’t just a bad idea,  it’s a dangerous one,” said UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts. “It strips resources from the very people who keep our country running;  miners, veterans, public servants, and their families, just to give billionaires a bigger tax break. Cutting off health care access, closing Black Lung clinics, and turning our backs on working-class communities is not how we move forward as a nation.”

In the letter, Roberts shared concerns that rural America would be hit the hardest by the Medicaid cuts included in the legislation. He said this could lead to reduced care, including for black lung clinics that provide vital care to miners who have contracted the disease. You can read the full letter here.

WOWK 13 News has reached out to the UMWA for an updated statement now that the bill has passed. We will update this article when we hear back.