Defense Production Act: How Biden is using emergency powers for green energy
Past administrations have used, or considered using, the DPA for energy-related purposes. Former President Barack Obama used it to produce more advanced biofuels for military and commercial use. The Trump administration also weighed using it to keep coal-fired and nuclear power plants from retiring.
“In the past, it was understood that these powers were reserved for legitimate national security concerns,” said Philip Rossetti, senior fellow in energy at the R Street Institute. “That’s been the normal use, and it’s been pretty uncontroversial. But now, the question is how broad exactly is this authority? Nobody’s tested the limits.”