Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has sent a letter, supported by a coalition of 23 states, to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The letter backs the Trump Administration's initiative to revitalize America's energy grid through coal. This move comes in response to what is described as "aggressive and shortsighted anti-fossil fuel policies" by the Biden administration that have reduced coal production to its lowest level since 1960.
Marshall emphasized the importance of coal for the nation's energy future. "America’s energy crisis is real, and we are in a difficult position," he stated. He further highlighted coal's role in providing "reliability, baseload capacity, and affordable energy necessary to fuel our nation’s growth." According to Marshall, sectors such as artificial intelligence, manufacturing, steel, and aluminum depend on coal-fired power for global competitiveness and national security.
The letter was signed by several states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia. It was led by West Virginia-, North Dakota- and Wyoming.