New Bill Reestablishes National Coal Council—And Exempts It From Automatic Shutdown

The National Coal Council Reestablishment Act is pretty straightforward: it brings back the National Coal Council (NCC) and puts it right back inside the Department of Energy (DOE). The bill mandates that the Secretary of Energy must reestablish the Council using the exact same charter—the rulebook—it had on November 19, 2021. This means the Council is intended to pick up exactly where it left off, acting as an official advisory body to the DOE on all things related to coal policy, technology, and implementation.

The Fine Print on Longevity

While this Council will generally operate under the standard rules for federal advisory committees—which govern everything from meeting transparency to membership—there is one critical exception buried in Section 2. Most federal advisory committees are subject to an automatic termination clause (specifically, Section 1013 of Title 5, U.S. Code), meaning they automatically sunset after a set period unless Congress or the President explicitly renews them. This bill specifically exempts the reestablished National Coal Council from that automatic termination rule.

What does this mean in practice? It means the NCC is designed to exist indefinitely. It won't have to fight for renewal every few years; it will stick around until something or someone in power actively dissolves it. For the coal industry, this offers permanent, institutional access to the DOE. For taxpayers, it means funding for this specific advisory body is essentially permanent, bypassing the standard review process designed to ensure that government committees remain necessary and relevant over time.

Who This Impacts

If you work in the energy sector, particularly coal mining, transport, or coal-fired power generation, this reestablishment means your industry will have a dedicated, official channel to influence policy and research priorities at the DOE. For instance, if you’re a utility manager planning future infrastructure, the Council’s advice on coal technology might influence federal grant programs or regulatory guidance.

However, if you are concerned about the shift toward renewable energy or are focused on reducing fossil fuel reliance, the creation of a permanently entrenched, government-funded advisory body dedicated to coal policy could be seen as counterproductive to decarbonization efforts. While the Council’s advice is non-binding, its institutional permanence ensures that coal remains a consistent and formal topic of discussion at the highest levels of the DOE, regardless of broader policy shifts.