US Government Shills For Big Coal - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica criticizes recent U.S. government actions that favor the coal industry despite environmental and economic concerns. The Interior Department plans to open 13.1 million acres of federal land for coal mining and reduce royalty rates for coal companies. The Energy Department is allocating $625 million to upgrade coal plants to extend their operational life, while the EPA intends to repeal numerous Biden-era regulations aimed at limiting coal plant emissions of carbon dioxide, mercury, and other pollutants. These moves are framed as efforts to maintain coal’s role in the U.S. energy mix, even though coal is a major contributor to climate change and often more expensive than alternatives like natural gas or solar power. The article also highlights the growing electricity demand driven by massive data centers supporting artificial intelligence advancements, such as Meta’s planned data center larger than Manhattan. This surge in demand has led to significant utility bill increases for residents near data centers, with some areas experiencing up to a 267% rise in electricity costs over five years