Reports that the White House is preparing to direct $700 million toward coal projects in the United States have triggered backlash.
Critics have warned that the move would back a dirtier, less reliable energy source and waste taxpayer dollars while many families are already feeling squeezed by high living costs.
What happened?
According to Electrek, the administration is expected to invoke the Defense Production Act to send emergency funding to coal projects, including 13 plants already in operation, proposed new facilities in Alaska and West Virginia, the restart of a Maryland coal plant, and a coal export terminal in California.
Coal now makes up a much smaller share of the U.S. power mix than it once did. Electrek reported that coal went from generating roughly half of the country's electricity in the early 2000s to 15% in 2024, as utilities moved toward cleaner and cheaper alternatives.
Why does it matter?
Opponents have said coal is costly to run, heavily polluting, and less dependable than newer combinations of energy sources. They have argued that using public money to keep aging plants going could leave taxpayers paying for facilities the market is already leaving behind, with little chance of a meaningful return.
As the global economy shifts toward cleaner energy, investments in coal and other fossil fuel companies are increasingly viewed as liabilities.
TCD Picks » EDF Spotlight
💡EDF's Vital Signs newsletter delivers stories about game-changing solutions close to home and around the world
Meanwhile, solar, wind, battery storage, and grid improvements are drawing investment, creating jobs, and helping communities build stronger local economies. New coal facilities, by contrast, risk becoming stranded assets; expensive projects with weak prospects for workers, investors, and ratepayers.
Online, people chimed in with their opinions. One person wrote, "When the inflation reduction act passed ... I felt it was the most important bill of my lifetime. Based on all the forward thinking green infrastructure it was setting up, we just needed one more presidency with someone who either supports it, or even if they don't like it just lets it be. Instead we got someone to completely gut progress, health, lower prices, more stable energy, and the future."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
Cool Picks
