Trump Sending $700 Million To Coal Industry, Including Wyoming Coal Plant | Cowboy State Daily

President Trump's plan to mobilize public funds for the coal industry signals a bold intervention aimed at national energy priorities. The administration invoked the Defense Production Act to allocate 700 million dollars, citing national security needs and the resilience of energy supplies. The package includes 425 million to bolster 13 coal-fired plants, 75 million for an Oakland export terminal, and 200 million to spur two new plants in Alaska and West Virginia. Wyoming's Powder River Basin remains central to the sector, supplying roughly 40 percent of thermal coal for U.S. power plants, as production has declined over 16 years.

The governor of Wyoming, Mark Gordon, accompanied Trump in Washington, praising the measure while debates over revenue, jobs and environmental tradeoffs continue. Authorities say the funds require companies to match the federal grants, and some allocations hinge on the Defense Production Act provisions. The plan comes amid rising demand from AI-driven data centers and a push to reopen coal capacity alongside other energy sources in a competitive global race with China. The program aims to support energy infrastructure and restart facilities not active since 2013, while expanding coal export capacity through Oakland.