New US orders throw states into disarray on critical goals: 'It is uncertain what demand there is'

In April, President Donald Trump signed four executive orders aimed at supporting coal-based power plants, risking climate catastrophe for the sake of what many consider a dying industry.

What's happening?

Per the New York Times, the executive orders demanded that federal regulations against coal power be dropped and that environmental restrictions be loosened while proposing funding for more coal projects and opening federal land to coal mining. 

One order in particular is actively working against state climate laws, posing a direct threat to the protection of each state's environmental needs. 

Coal burning is at an all-time low now that natural gas fuels are more common and solar and wind power sources are in the mix. According to Reuters, due to coal's high carbon impact and health hazards, regulations under the Biden administration have made coal burning mostly a thing of the past. 

Now, coal burning yields less than 20% of American electricity. Even as energy demand rises, very few are turning to coal for supply.

"It is uncertain what demand there is for any greater U.S. coal output," the article continued. 

Why is the prospect of coal resurgence concerning?

Despite its decline over the past decade, coal contributes over 40% of the world's industrial carbon dioxide, according to the Global Carbon Project. The movement away from coal "has been the biggest reason for the drop in U.S. emissions since 2005," reported the New York Times. 

Burning coal releases a plethora of planet-warming gases that drive up temperatures worldwide, intensifying extreme weather events and putting global food supply at risk. 

In addition, the pollutants that coal burning introduces into the atmosphere worsen our air quality and cause health issues such as asthma complications and heart attacks, per the Environmental Protection Agency.

What's being done about the coal orders?

If states can't pass direct regulations on carbon emissions from coal, they can opt to incentivize other forms of energy instead. For instance, Virginia proposed financial incentives on methane capture from coal mines in 2023, and Kentucky intends to replace coal entirely with natural gas and solar power by 2035. 

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Many state governments are also standing up to the orders themselves, noted AP News, including California, Vermont, and New York. 

For your part, you can help reduce electrical demand and slash your electrical bills by switching to home heat pumps and solar panels.

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