President Invokes Wartime Powers To Fund Coal, Natural Gas Pipelines, Storage, Processing, LNG, Petroleum, Power Grid Infrastructure Projects

On April 20, the President signed five determinations under the federal Defense Production Act, driven by his January 2025 Executive Order declaring a national energy emergency, providing federal funds to support coal, natural gas pipeline, storage, processing, LNG, petroleum and power grid infrastructure projects.

The lead determination said they will support "development, manufacturing, and deployment of large-scale energy and energy-related infrastructure, including engineering, site acquisition and preparation, permitting, early-stage risk mitigation financing instruments, domestic manufacturing capacity, and enabling infrastructure, are industrial resources, materials, and critical technology items essential to the national defense."

Bloomberg reported projects eligible for support could include coal-fired power plants, refineries and facilities that manufacture gas turbines and transformers — electrical equipment that’s been subject to shortages.

The White House characterized the action as fulfilling the President's promise "to fully unleash American energy dominance to protect our economic and national security" and to address rising oil, gasoline and electricity costs.

The determinations cover--

-- Development, Manufacturing, and Deployment of Large-Scale Energy and Energy Related Infrastructure

-- Grid Infrastructure, Equipment and Supply Chain Capacity

-- Domestic Petroleum Production, Refining and Logistics Capacity

-- Natural Gas Transmission, Processing, Storage and Liquefied Natural Gas Capacity

-- Coal Supply Chains and Baseload Power Generation Capacity

Bloomberg reported the move allows the US Energy Department to deploy funding secured in the tax and spending package passed last year

NewsClips:

-- Bloomberg: President Invokes Wartime Powers To Fund New Energy Projects

[Posted: April 20, 2026]  PA Environment Digest