WASHINGTON – On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order allocating $75 million to establish a coal export terminal in Oakland, California. This facility aims to facilitate the export of coal from western states to international markets.
The Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal, a project that has been in the works for ten years, has faced numerous delays due to political, legal, and financial challenges.
President Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to expedite the terminal’s construction. Once operational, it will serve as a crucial outlet for coal produced primarily in Utah and Wyoming to reach overseas destinations.
A White House spokesperson informed The Post that this federal investment is expected to initiate construction this summer, with coal shipments projected to commence by the summer of 2028.
The terminal is anticipated to handle the export of up to 12 million tons of coal annually to Asian markets.
“The West Gateway Terminal will operate continuously, around the clock, every day of the week,” the spokesperson stated.
It’s expected to create over 1,400 jobs on-site and support thousands more across the Western United States, from miners and railroad workers to port workers, engineers, and construction workers, the official noted.
Trump’s order is a general boon for America’s coal industry.
It also includes $200 million to build two new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia and to restart a coal plant in Maryland. This will be the first new coal plants in the U.S. since 2013.
Additionally, the order provides $425 million to support 13 existing plants across 10 states: West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Arizona, Oklahoman, North Dakota and Wisconsin.
The White House official said approximately 12,500 coal jobs will be saved with these boosts to coal plants.
Environmental groups have protested construction of the Oakland terminal and are expected to continue to do so.
Developer Phil Tagami won a huge victory last year when the California Supreme Court ruled in his favor that the City of Oakland wrongfully terminated his lease for the terminal.
But the protests against it will continue. The San Francisco “No Coal” group rallied its members in April amid reports the terminal was going to get a boost in funding.
“Leaders of the campaign are girding themselves for a new battle, one that will be waged outside the courtroom,” the group said.
Oakland has the country’s ninth biggest port but it’s also situated in one of the most liberal areas of the country, next to San Francisco, making the terminal a target.
Trump has long praised the benefits of “clean coal” and has worked to undo many of the environmental regulations Joe Biden put in place during his presidency.
