Executive Order 14261: Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241
President: Donald J. Trump
Designated coal as a mineral for specified federal policy, amended EO 14241 and directed leasing, permitting, research, export and power actions.
Status: In effect.
Is Executive Order 14261 still in effect? Yes. Active; coal added to federal mineral and energy programs.
What does Executive Order 14261 do?
Interior was assigned leasing work and Energy coal-technology and reliability reviews; the amendment changed EO 14241’s mineral scope.
Later primary evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: Energy added metallurgical coal to its critical-material list after the order directed the department to consider that designation. Official source. The cited steps do not establish every downstream effect.
Reading the operative provisions of Executive Order 14261
EO 14261 directs federal agencies to prioritize coal production, leasing, permitting, research and exports, and it amends EO 14241 by treating coal as a mineral for specified policy purposes. This legal change affects how the earlier domestic-mineral initiative is applied, but it does not erase other federal coal laws or environmental requirements. The amendment and new assignments are in the Federal Register text of EO 14261.
Interior and other agencies may be directed to identify federal lands for leasing or expedite pending work, while Energy and Commerce may support research, export coordination or infrastructure. These roles differ from an actual lease, mine permit or power-plant approval. A lease provides rights subject to its terms; separate permits and environmental reviews may still be required before operations begin. The order cannot itself authorize a mine on every identified tract or guarantee that a proposed project will be economically viable.
The phrase “clean coal” is a policy description, not a technical finding that every coal project has the same emissions profile. Any claimed environmental or reliability benefit needs evidence about the facility, fuel, pollution controls and grid conditions. Likewise, federal support for coal does not repeal existing air-quality standards or utility obligations. Project-level decisions remain reviewable under governing law. Reading the order with EO 14241 helps clarify the administration’s policy direction, while later agency records show which of the listed actions actually proceeded.
Before and after
Before the order
Coal leasing and generation operated under mining, land, environmental, utility and export laws.
After the order
Agencies reviewed coal lands, programs and regulations and incorporated coal into priority policies; individual leases, grants and power actions still need separate authority.
Energy added metallurgical coal to its critical-material list after the order directed the department to consider that designation.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Interior | End leasing pauses and identify coal resources | 14 and 30 days |
| Energy | Assess coal technology, reliability and funding | 60 and 90 days |
| Agencies | Review rules affecting coal | Ongoing |
What happened next
EO 14261 signed.
Later primary evidence reviewed: Energy added metallurgical coal to its critical-material list after the order directed the department to consider that designation.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The order does not waive mineral-leasing, environmental, mine-safety, utility, appropriations or procurement statutes. EO 14241 remains amended, not replaced.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 24, 2026. How we research →