WMA Statement on President Trump’s Energy Independence Executive Order

Press Release –Wyoming Mining Association (WMA) Executive Director Travis Deti issued the following statement in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s executive order shifting American energy policy.

“We are obviously pleased with these actions.  A main policy goal of the previous Administration was the elimination of coal-fired power generation in this country.  This would have been devastating to Wyoming as the nation’s top coal producer,” Deti said.

“As with many other Obama-era regulations, the climate change agenda was ill-advised and politically motivated with the intent of removing coal from America’s energy generation mix,” Deti said.  “The Trump Administration recognizes the critical role that coal plays in providing affordable, reliable electricity to our nation, and we welcome the shift in public policy.”

“We are very pleased to see the lifting of the moratorium on federal coal leasing.  The vast majority of federal coal is mined in Wyoming, and both the state and nation get excellent value and return from the coal leasing program,” Deti added.

According to the Wyoming State Inspector of Mines, Wyoming coal operators produced 297.5 million tons of coal in 2016 and employed 5,682 workers at the close of the year.