An official from the White House has indicated that President Trump intends to utilize a Cold War-era national defense authority to direct nearly $700 million in funding towards coal-related infrastructure.
The official stated that Trump could announce as early as Thursday his plan to invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950. This action would facilitate the modernization of over a dozen coal-fired power plants, the construction of a major West Coast coal export terminal, and provide matching funds with private companies for building new power plants.
The source cautioned that specific details of the plan are still subject to change.
This initiative comes despite a consistent, steady decline in domestic coal consumption within the United States. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that while coal once accounted for more than half of the nation's electricity generation, its share has fallen in recent years to less than one-fifth, as power producers have largely shifted to cheaper natural gas and renewable energy sources.
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