Dive Brief:

• Donald Trump this week promised to send coal workers back to work in a speech focused on eliminating energy policies he said are killing thousands of jobs and keeping Americans out of work.
• The Republican nominee for President on Monday gave a major address focused on his economic agenda, drawing stark contrasts between his ideas and those of Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama.
• Trump's energy policy proposals focus on removing environmental restrictions and allowing the coal, oil and gas industries more leeway to produce fossil fuels. Environmental groups are critical of his ideas, saying they will increase greenhouse gas emissions.

Dive Insight:

Donald Trump's energy proposals focus on ending what he calls "job-killing energy restrictions," sending coal and oil workers back to work and allowing energy companies to pursue strategies absent oversight. While environmentalists have said the plan would undo years of progress to reduce carbon emissions, Trump says the plan will create employment and energy independence.

“Clinton not only embraces President Obama’s job-killing energy restrictions, but wants to expand them, including going after oil and natural gas production that employs some 10 million Americans,” Trump told the Detroit Economic Club on Monday.

Trump cited the conservative Heritage Foundation in saying that by 2030, the energy policies of Obama and Clinton would eliminate a half million jobs and reduce economic output by $2.5 trillion. And he said those policies have already cost Michigan 50,000 jobs.

In June, DTE Energy announced yesterday plans to retire eight coal-fired units at three Michigan locations. 

But environmental activists say Trump's proposals would increase emissions and undo progress on climate change.  According to the League of Conservation Voters, Trump's policies show he "is happy to give away our clean air and water to Big Polluters in the oil and gas industry with no regard for the damage they will do."

Hillary Clinton's energy proposals include a focus on renewable energy, efficiency and lowering oil consumption. According to her website, her proposals will make the country "the world’s clean energy superpower" while "creating millions of good-paying jobs, taking bold steps to slash carbon pollution at home and around the world, and ensuring no Americans are left out or left behind as we rapidly build a clean energy economy."