Charleston, WV – Today, Monday, October 6th, 2025, the West Virginia Republican Party was joined by the West Virginia Coal Association, Attorney General JB McCuskey, and nearly forty members of the West Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate for a press conference at the State Capitol Lower Rotunda in Charleston to highlight President Donald J. Trump’s new investment and policy initiatives supporting West Virginia’s coal industry.

“We are here today to talk about President Trump's initiatives with regard to the coal industry not only across the nation but right here in West Virginia. I'm very excited to be joined here today by so many state legislators, elected officials, and leaders of the coal industry as well," said Josh Holstein, Chairman of the West Virginia Republican Party.

The Trump Administration recently unveiled a sweeping push to revitalize America’s coal sector, opening 13.1 million acres of federal land for new coal leasing and slashing royalty rates to encourage production. (U.S. Department of the Interior) At the same time, the Department of Energy announced a $625 million investment to recommission aging coal plants, modernize facilities, and support coal-dependent rural energy projects. (The Department of Energy) The Trump administration also is easing near-term regulatory burdens on coal plants — including delaying certain wastewater and emissions deadlines — to preserve grid reliability amid rising electricity demand. (AP News)

The Department of Energy has committed to providing $625 million in funding for:

• $350M for Coal Recommissioning, and Retrofit: for projects to demonstrate readiness to recommission or modernize coal power units and provide near-term electric power reliability and capacity.
• $175M for Rural Capacity and Energy Affordability Projects: for coal power projects that provide direct benefits of energy affordability, reliability, and resiliency in rural communities.
• $50M to support the Development and Implementation of Advanced Wastewater Management Systems: to demonstrate scalable, cost-effective wastewater management systems that enables coal plants to extend their service life, reduce operational costs, and enhance commercial byproduct recovery.
• $25M for Engineering and Implementation of Dual Firing Retrofits: to enable coal power plants to seamlessly switch between fuels, achieve full steam capacity, and economic flexibility to extend plant lifespans.
• $25M for Development and Testing of Natural Gas Cofiring Systems: to support investments that will maintain boiler efficiency and reliability when utilizing 100% natural gas. 

"I have been in the coal business for over forty years and we have never, ever had a President say such nice things and take such specific and forward action for our industry as President Trump has done," said Chris Hamilton, President of the West Virginia Coal Association. "Don't think that this happens every four years, or whenever we have a Republican in the White House...it doesn't! But this guy is unbelievable."

"We're working very close with his (President Trump's) energy council unpacking, revising, repealing every single policy, legislation, and regulation, that the previous administration finalized to hurt coal mining and to hurt coal miners! President Trump is not just talking the talk – but he's walking the walk, Hamilton continued. "He has specific actions from executive orders to repealing regulations that come out every single day!"

"He has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to help our industry in the great state of West Virginia, regionally, and nationally. Make no mistake about it...this President and his energy council want to see West Virginia thrive and that everything related to coal and the 50,000 West Virginians who show up to a coal mine every single day do what they do best. This President is committed to that and we have to take full advantage of that moving forward."

Hamilton remarked that West Virginia elected officials have led the way in supporting the coal industry. "We have a great energy team in West Virginia – from Governor Morrisey to Senator Capito and Senator Justice to our Board of Public Works and most especially our legislature, said Hamilton. Thank you for all you've done, thank you for all of your support for our industry and for your constituents at home. Make no mistake – we have the absolute best miners in the world right here in West Virginia."We can't thank President Trump enough for his unwavering support of coal miners and the coal industry. His strong actions in support of coal are unprecedented and provide us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"What we know and what the President is leading on is rational energy policy that uses the carbon fuels beneath our feet in order to meet this advantage. Windmills and solar panels can not do but coal and gas can," said JB McCuskey, West Virginia Attorney General. "And this President, for the first time in a very long time, can look at every single coal miner in the face in this country and say I respect you, I value you, and what you are doing is a patriotic duty that is designed to rebuild this country's superiority on the world stage."

The Trump administration's recent announcements as well as policies implemented by the One Big Beautiful Bill have reinvigorated the coal industry and the West Virginia Republican Party could not be more appreciative.