"Trump Wants A Coal Comeback. It Probably Won’t Happen."

"WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to bring back jobs to struggling coal communities, and laid-off miners contributed to his presidential victory.

But the reality is more complicated.

Trump can roll back regulations developed by the Obama administration to curb carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants and to protect streams from the impacts of coal mining.

He’ll be able to appoint regulators who are more friendly to the industry, and he’ll have a Republican Congress more than willing to enact laws that are favorable to coal.

He can’t, however, easily change the market forces that have contributed to coal’s collapse, primarily competition from cheaper natural gas produced by hydraulic fracturing. While Trump supports coal, he also supports its chief competitor."

Curtis Tate reports for McClatchy November 11, 2016.

SEE ALSO:

"Deep in Virginia’s Craggy Coal Country, They Saw Trump As Their Only Hope" (Washington Post)