“It is impossible to see any sane justification for returning to coal as a greater source of energy,” said Moms’ Dominique Browning in response to the Trump administration’s renewed effort to prop up the dirty coal industry.
Yesterday, in an event at the White House attended by coal miners and industry executives, President Trump signed a new executive order that directs the Department of Defense to prioritize long-term power agreements with coal-fired power plants.
The move will use taxpayer dollars to support coal at a time when families are already struggling with rising energy costs. Plus, reviving coal will worsen public health and lead to higher medical bills. As Dominique said, “Burning coal for electricity is a filthy process. It creates deadly air pollution, and it sends mercury, a potent neurotoxin that harms developing fetal and toddler brains, into our communities.”
Tell the Trump Administration: Don't Bail Out Coal. Protect Our Children's Health!
At the same event, Trump announced Department of Energy funding to recommission and upgrade coal plants in several states, including West Virginia, where families are already experiencing the economic and health consequences of coal reliance.
“West Virginians are no strangers to the coal industry,” said Moms’ Organizer Lani Wean. “While the legacy of coal in our state is extensive, too many West Virginians are now experiencing skyrocketing utility costs and serious health impacts because of coal operations in our communities. Most of our energy still comes from coal, and yet our electricity costs are some of the fastest rising in the country.”
Lani herself has seen her electricity bill more than double. Last month, she paid $450 to power her two-bedroom apartment. “Each year I have lived here,” she shared, “I have seen more of my neighbors being forced to choose between paying for power and heat or groceries, gasoline, or other necessities.”
Lani argues that we need renewable alternatives to coal to protect our families’ wallets, create family-sustaining jobs, and ensure our children’s right to breathe clean air. What we don’t need is more of this costly, dirty fossil fuel.
Learn more in our fact sheet, The Climate Costs of Coal.
Tell the Trump Administration: Don't Bail Out Coal. Protect Our Children's Health!