WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump is expected to make announcements on three major coal-related actions on Thursday.
A White House official confirmed to Breitbart News the Oval Office announcements expected, as first reported by Bloomberg.
One announcement Trump is set to make is the allocation of $425 million in Defense Production Act (DPA) funds to aid 13 coal plants in Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, per the official. Funding will also support coal mines in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The official noted that funding will enable coal plants to extend their operational life through investment in upgrades, strengthen grid reliability, and prevent electricity prices from surging with demand.
The president is also expected to tell reporters that $75 million in DPA funding will help construct a coal-export terminal in Oakland, California, the official said.
Expected to be completed by the summer of 2028, after construction begins in the coming months, the West Gateway Terminal will operate day and night year-round and export a projected $1 billion in coal, totaling over 12 million tons annually when operational.
The West Gateway project is anticipated to create 1,400 on-site jobs and support thousands more in the western states.
Third, the president will announce 200 million dollars in grants to construct two coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia and to help reopen a shuttered plant in Maryland, with companies matching the funds, per the official. The moves are estimated to retain 12,500 coal jobs.
In total, the three actions will create or support 14,000 jobs across the coal, construction, maritime, and rail sectors, according to the official. Moreover, they are estimated to save consumers $50 billion in new generation costs. After these actions, the president will have supported or saved 102 coal plants throughout his time in office.
Trump’s announcements are scheduled for 3:00 pm. ET in front of the White House press pool. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin will join the president in the Oval Office.