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CleanTechnicaabout 2 months ago

USGS Designation Ignores Law, Groups Say Coal for Steel is Not Critical

Key Takeaway

The USGS's designation of metallurgical coal as a critical mineral signals potential significant shifts in environmental policy and regulatory enforcement for industrial sectors, impacting future project development and supply chain stability.

AI Summary

  • The USGS controversially designated metallurgical coal as a 'critical mineral' in late 2025, a move critics argue is illegal and a handout to coal interests.
  • Opponents claim this designation could enable the Trump administration to bypass bedrock environmental laws to boost coke production.
  • The policy change is seen as potentially easing regulatory burdens for industrial processes reliant on metallurgical coal, impacting environmental standards and potentially steel supply chains.

Topics

emissionspolicy

Article Content

Designating Metallurgical Coal as Critical is a Handout to Foreign Competitors and Coal Barons WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the US Geological Survey (USGS) added metallurgical coal to a list of “critical minerals,” which could allow the Trump administration to steamroll bedrock environmental laws to boost coke production and widen the devastation ... [continued] The post USGS Designation Ignores Law, Groups Say Coal for Steel is Not Critical appeared first on CleanTechnica .