President Donald Trump is expected to sign executive orders Tuesday aimed at boosting coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that’s long been in decline.
The White House news briefing is scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT. Watch live in our player above.
According to two senior White House officials, Trump will use his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity to meet rising U.S. power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue before the president’s announcement, expected Tuesday afternoon.
READ MORE: While Trump pursues more fossil fuels, Europe posts a record year for renewable energy use
Trump, a Republican, has long promised to boost what he calls “beautiful” coal to fire power plants and other uses, but the industry has been in decline for decades.
The orders expected Tuesday will direct federal agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining and prioritize coal leasing on U.S. lands, according to information from the White House officials.
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