April 9 (UPI) — The U.S. Interior Department said Wednesday $13 million in grants are being disbursed to reclaim abandoned mine lands in an effort to revitalize coal communities.
“Restoring these abandoned mine lands is an opportunity to invest in communities that helped power our nation,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in a statement. “By streamlining the process and cutting unnecessary red tape, we are making sure these resources reach the states quickly and efficiently. This investment is a testament to our commitment to revitalizing coal country and ensuring American families reap the benefits of a stronger, more resilient economy.”
The Interior Department action includes $8.6 million to Tennessee, $3.1 million to North Dakota and $1.3 million to Texas.
The Interior Department said abandoned mine reclamation projects “offer long-term economic benefits by transforming previously unusable lands into viable sites for new development.”
The announcement comes on the heels of Tuesday Trump administration executive actions to “unleash” coal rather than regulate its pollution.
Trump said Tuesday, “We’re ending Joe Biden’s war on beautiful, clean coal once and for all, and we’re going to put the miners back to work!”
The environmental group Green America maintains that so-called “clean coal” is a myth.
“While some policymakers support “clean coal,” coal can never be clean. It is harmful to both people and the planet,” Green America said in a website statement. “Coal combustion releases the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) during combustion.”
The Biden administration’s Energy Department announced in October 2024 a much larger $428 million investment in clean energy projects in coal communties as it sought a transition to clean energy.
Biden’s Interior Department in March of 2021 also made more than $260 million available for coal communities struggling with falling demand for coal.
Coal fired power plants cause environmental pollution in both air and ground water that led the Environmental Protection Agency in April of 2024 to finalize new rules to reduce that pollution.
Ignoring climate change science, Trump is doing the opposite, loosening coal mining restrictions.
Several executive orders were signed Tuesday with the intent of reinvigorating the coal industry, including possible new coal mining on federal lands.
The Interior Department said Tuesday it is now committed to “a renewed focus on coal.”
