The Biden administration is pushing for drastic environmental regulations that will devastate the coal industry, even though this will not lead to cleaner air or a cooler climate.
These regulations will instead destroy an essential source of affordable American energy, exacerbating inflation and financial suffering for those who can least afford it. Ironically, this crusade will also make Biden’s electric vehicle goals unattainable.
The administration justifies its anti-coal stance with a questionable report from the American Lung Association, claiming that America’s air is dangerously dirty.
President Biden (Credits: The Hill)
However, the US has reduced air pollution by 78% over the last five decades while population, economy, energy consumption, and vehicle use have increased. America leads the world in clean air, and policymakers should prioritize verifiable health and safety over reducing pollution to zero.
The COVID-19 lockdowns proved that America’s air is already clean, and human activity is not the primary cause of air quality issues. Liberal states that pass stricter environmental regulations often force manufacturing jobs overseas, contributing to their own air quality problems. Climate data models show that even the most ambitious anti-fossil fuel campaigns would have a negligible impact on global temperatures.
President Biden (Credits: Middle East Monitor)
Biden’s regulations will only lead to more expensive energy for the most vulnerable Americans, who already face disconnection notices and difficult choices between affording electricity or other essentials.
The free market has driven both prosperity and environmental quality, and Biden should let it continue to do so instead of attacking energy producers. Modern society depends on affordable, reliable energy, which only fossil fuels can provide.
