Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as Amended, on Coal Supply Chains and Baseload Power Generation Capacity

Key Points

• Trump is invoking Section 303 of the Defense Production Act to designate coal supply chains and coal-fired power plants as essential to national defense. This unlocks federal financial support, including purchases, loans, and commitments, to prop up the coal industry.
• The determination argues that coal-fired power is needed to provide stable electricity for military installations, industrial growth, and energy-hungry technologies like artificial intelligence. It frames coal as irreplaceable grid resilience infrastructure.
• The order waives several procedural requirements of the Defense Production Act to speed up government spending on coal projects. This means money can flow to coal mining, rail and barge logistics, power plant life extensions, and stockpile maintenance without the usual checks.
• The determination says private industry cannot keep coal infrastructure running on its own due to financing constraints, regulatory delays, expensive repairs, and market barriers. It positions the government as the necessary backstop.