WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser on Wednesday said President Donald Trump is delivering real results for American workers, families and businesses.
Meuser, R-Dallas, co-chair of the Congressional Coal Caucus, joined Trump at the White House as he signed a sweeping executive order aimed at restoring America’s clean coal industry and reestablishing American energy dominance.
“President Trump continues to lead with bold action to make the United States energy dominant once again,” Rep. Meuser said. “This executive order marks a major step forward for clean coal and for the future of American energy. It reverses the damaging and ideological policies of the Biden Administration and opens the door for job creation, grid reliability and economic growth — particularly here in Pennsylvania.”
Rep. Meuser said the executive order:
• Directs the National Energy Dominance Council to classify coal as a “mineral” under EO 14241, expanding its federal benefits.
• Directs agencies to lift restrictions and prioritize leasing of coal resources on federal lands.
• Rescinds anti-coal policies and mandates that unfairly favor intermittent energy sources.
• Recognizes clean coal as a strategic resource and accelerates development of coal technologies.
• Promotes U.S. clean coal exports and encourages international off-take agreements.
• Directs a review of coal’s role in the steel industry as a “critical material” under federal law.
• Facilitates permitting efficiencies, including NEPA exclusions, for coal-related infrastructure.
• Pushes for using clean coal to power growing industries such as AI data centers.
Rep. Meuser said coal is a cornerstone of our national energy mix — producing 16% of our nation’s electricity, supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs and contributing tens of billions of dollars annually to our economy.
As electricity demand rises due to AI expansion and domestic manufacturing growth, Rep. Meuser said clean coal will be vital to keeping the lights on and prices low.
“It is also important to note that with the development of new technologies, coal-fired electricity generation is cleaner than ever, particularly when produced in the United States compared to foreign countries,” Rep. Meuser said.
Critically, Rep. Meuser said anthracite coal — found in abundance in Pennsylvania — is essential to steel production, a sector vital to our national defense and infrastructure.
Rep. Meuser said the executive order directs the Department of Energy to determine whether coal used in steel-making meets the definition of a “critical material,” which could further strengthen domestic supply chains and safeguard American industry.
In Pennsylvania alone, Rep. Meuser said the industry produced 42.6 million tons of coal in 2023, contributing to making the Commonwealth the third-largest electricity producer in the U.S. Further, Rep. Meuser said clean coal in Pennsylvania supports more than 11,500 jobs and generates $3.8 billion in economic output.
“President Trump’s executive order embraces an all-of-the-above and all-of-the-below energy policy — one that values American oil and natural gas, nuclear, clean coal, hydro-power and more,” Rep. Meuser said. “This is the only realistic path to true energy dominance.”
Rep. Meuser said the executive order builds on a series of strong energy reforms under President Trump, including:
• Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Reversing the pause on LNG export permits.
• Declaring a national energy emergency.
• Terminating the Green New Deal framework.
• Opening up Alaska’s vast energy resources.
• Cutting red tape to fast-track permitting for energy projects.
Rep. Meuser said the contrast with the Biden Administration could not be clearer.
“The Biden Administration waged an all-out regulatory war on clean coal — imposing regulations like Clean Power Plan 2.0, costly wastewater mandates and mercury mandates designed to force plant closures,” Rep. Meuser said. “President Trump is now reversing course and restoring balance to our energy policy.”
Rep. Meuser said that as co-chair of the Congressional Coal Caucus, he looks forward to working closely with President Trump and his colleagues in Congress to implement this order and to advance an energy strategy that works for Pennsylvania and the nation.