President Trump is moving forward with his plan to save the fossil fuel industry by removing the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. He boasts substantial job growth and a flourishing economy through deregulation, though this is contrary to the facts. Large sectors of the industry, especially coal, are going away, with or without the aid of the government.
Trump has suggested the decision to remove regulations that have impeded the growth of coal would make America great again, adding that he is the “last shot for the miners.”
Unfortunately, the coal industry is dying, and it has been since 1986, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Well before the Obama administration, the invisible hand of the free market was making its choice; cleaner forms of energy are on their way in.
It is important to point out that, contrary to partisan rhetoric, the market is choosing alternative forms of energy and has been for many years.
Regulations are not killing coal jobs; capitalism is.
Solar energy, though only a small portion of the country’s current energy output, employs twice as many Americans as coal does. While it is expensive and labor-intensive now, its increased development will drive prices down.
The main vision that is leading the market away from coal and other fossil fuels is the future: Companies want energy that will be available for decades to come.
Coincidentally, sustainability is also the reason for increased regulation of high pollution energy sources.
When considering the removal regulations, it is crucial to understand the reasons the laws were enacted in the first place.
The Obama administration put this plan in place to protect the environment and to conserve the resources for the coming generations. The decision to limit pollution and invest in renewable energy was an ethical one for future generations.
The decisions to move forward in energy technology in order to protect our nation from pollution and our globe from climate change are important and shouldn’t be removed without serious thought.
Modern society is supported largely by energy, and the way we choose to source that energy is important. If the United States plans to be competitive in the future, it needs to plan its energy infrastructure for the future.
It is not just the smart thing to do; it is the right thing to do. We should actively support renewable energy and a cleaner environment for ourselves and others. Citizens of other countries will feel the effects of our decisions through drought and flooding, as will future generations of our own nation.
This is the problem with far too many policy decisions of recent months: Few people are as concerned about the interests of others or the facts as they are about the good of their party.
The energy policies of President Trump will only delay the demise of a portion of an industry while allowing that industry to hurt our current and future nation economically and environmentally.
Daniel Payne is a freshman integrated marketing communications major from Collierville, Tennessee.
