Coal is not over-regulated, and there is no war on coal. Coal is in a slump, because the market is in a slump.
That’s been the mantra of environmentalists who hate coal and want to see it run out of business so we can sit in the dark and freeze.
Coal did fall into a slump on the domestic front, but many companies stayed in business, kept the lights and jobs intact by selling their product overseas.
Now that the energy sector has found a way to succeed, environmentalists have stepped quietly aside and agreed not to declare a war on coal.
Just kidding.
They want government to run it out of business by charging higher royalty fees because they say the companies are unfairly making money.
Obama followed their directive and put a regulation in place to do so, but President Trump pulled the plug this week and asked that coal royalties be reviewed to make sure it’s fair to taxpayers and those paying the heavy taxes.
The (Interior) Department intends to further evaluate changes that may be warranted to the long-established regulations, ensuring that valuation and revenue collection for the nation’s mineral resources remain free from loopholes and that Americans receive every dollar due for production of those resources on public lands and waters.
That sounds fair, so environmentalists are certain to make a stink over it.