For nearly two decades, the use of coal to generate electricity has been in decline in the US. Even under the first Trump administration, efforts to boost coal use failed. The second administration, however, tried harder, issuing emergency orders to keep coal plants open even when they were scheduled to close. This week, a US court struck down one such order, ruling it was not justified under the relevant statute. The decision, issued by a unanimous three-judge panel from the DC Circuit’s Court of Appeals, only affects one Michigan plant but sets a precedent for future similar cases. While the ruling is confined to this plant, it signals a broader challenge to the administration’s attempts to prop up the coal industry. The reasoning behind the decision could apply to all blocked coal plant closures, potentially impacting other plants nationwide.