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By Timothy Gardner
WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) - A coal council that advises the Trump administration urged the U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday to provide financial support including loan guarantees and grants to help existing coal plants and get new ones built.
President Donald Trump, who wants to boost the U.S. coal industry, reinstated the National Coal Council last year after it lapsed during the administration of former President Joe Biden. Its membership includes executives from coal companies Peabody Energy, Warrior Met Coal and Core Natural Resources.
• At a meeting in Washington, the council made 19 recommendations to the administration including financial support like DOE grants and loans for existing and new coal plants and supply chains.
• It also recommended that the federal government enter power purchase agreements and make investments in coal infrastructure.
• The DOE's loan office, now known as the Office of Energy Dominance Financing, had been used by Democratic administrations mainly to finance emerging energy businesses such as solar and wind power as well as electric vehicles and electricity transmission.
• A DOE spokesperson said the financing office has restructured around Trump's energy objectives, one of which is "reinvigorating America's clean coal."
• The council also recommended identifying and removing regulatory, financial and other barriers to constructing new plants.
• U.S. coal production rose about 3% last year to about 528 million tons on increased power demand and higher gas prices. Increased U.S. coal consumption helped boost global carbon emissions last year.
• The council also called on the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize the repeal of greenhouse gas regulations for new and existing coal plants and the streamlining of federal coal leasing by the Department of the Interior.
• Coal generated about 17% of U.S. electricity in 2025, up slightly from the previous year.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Mark Porter)
