#Coal use has been declining sharply in the #US since 2005, displaced in many cases by #cheaper & cleaner #NaturalGas, #wind & #solar power.

But in a series of steps aimed at improving the economics of coal, the #Interior Dept said it would open 13.1M acres of #federal #land for coal #mining & reduce royalty rates companies need to pay to extract coal. The #Energy Dept said it would offer $625M to upgrade existing coal plants, which have been closing at a fast clip, to extend their life spans.