President Invokes Defense Production Act on Energy Infrastructure, Including Data Centers

On April 20th, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act regarding the development, manufacturing, and deployment of large-scale energy and energy-related infrastructure, including data centers.

On January 20th, 2025, President Trump declared a national emergency with regard to what he saw as America’s inadequate energy production, transportation, refining, and generation. Mr. Trump said in that order that left us vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses an imminent and growing threat to national security.

On April 20th, the President found that domestic capability for the development, manufacturing, and deployment of large-scale energy and energy-related infrastructure cannot be met due to financing risks, regulatory delays, and market barriers.

The order declares:

—Development, manufacturing, and deployment of large-scale energy and energy-related infrastructure, including engineering, site acquisition and preparation, permitting, early-stage risk mitigation, domestic manufacturing capacity, and enabling infrastructure are items essential to the national defense;

—Without Presidential action under the Defense Production Act, US industry cannot be reasonably be expected to provide these capabilities in a timely manner;

—Purchases, purchase commitment, financial support for the development of production capabilities, or other action pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act are the most cost-effective, expedient, and practical method for meeting this need.

The President found that action to expand the domestic capability to undertake development, manufacturing, and deployment of large-scale energy and energy-related infrastructure is necessary to avert industrial and critical technology item shortfalls.

The order directed the Secretary of Energy to make necessary purchases, commitments, and financial instruments to enable these projects.

 

Opinion -- Trump Administration Terminates Grain Belt Express Loan

By the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association

On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, the Trump Administration’s Department of Energy announced the nearly $5 billion cut in financial assistance for the Grain Belt Express. The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association was quick to applaud the decision driven largely by landowners who were heard by U.S. Senator Josh Hawley and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

"This association has fought relentlessly against private companies trying to take Missouri farmer's and rancher's land for private gain," said Jeff Reed, MCA President. "This is a massive win in the continued fight over landowner rights. Senator Hawley and Attorney General Bailey are unwavering champions for private property rights."

While Reed said this win is a “big deal” in the ongoing battle with an out-of-state company who is utilizing eminent domain and taxpayer dollars to take private land for their own private gain, the fight to stop this project for Missouri’s farm families is not over yet.

"This win is a big deal and gives us much-needed momentum to continue efforts to reform state statute and apply pressure on officials to reconsider their misguided approval of this scam," said Reed. “With that said, we do not want any impacted landowner to develop false hope from this very welcomed decision. The fight continues.” 

The DOE released in a statement that the funding for the project does not justify the need of the loan.

"After a thorough review of the project’s financials, DOE found that the conditions necessary to issue the guarantee are unlikely to be met and it is not critical for the federal government to have a role in supporting this project. To ensure more responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources, DOE has terminated its conditional commitment," stated in the DOE press release on July 23.

 

Opinion -- Hawley Demands Energy Department Terminate Government Funding of Grain Belt Express

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a follow-up letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright demanding he terminate the more than $4 billion in federal funding for the Grain Belt Express, an elitist land grab harming Missouri farmers and ranchers.

In the letter, Senator Hawley wrote, "I write to you once again to urge the termination of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) $4.9 billion conditional loan to the green-energy Grain Belt Express (GBE) transmission line. Your department recently terminated 24 awards issued by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), citing 'that these projects failed to advance the energy needs of the American people, were not economically viable and would not generate a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.' Yet the GBE conditional loan has not been cancelled."

He continued, "I have repeatedly raised concerns to DOE about the viability of this transmission line. Most recently, on March 25, 2025, I wrote to you after officials from the Department of Energy confirmed that your department is moving forward with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, a key step in approving the loan. I have yet to receive a substantive response to that letter."

Senator Hawley concluded, "During a recent House hearing, you stated, 'It is deeply concerning how billions of dollars were rushed out the door without proper due diligence in the final days of the Biden administration.' I completely agree. The Biden administration’s Department of Energy approved the loan to the Grain Belt Express at the eleventh hour... Your department should be taking every possible action to stop this loan – not only to save taxpayer’s money, but also to save generational land from being ripped away from families and hard-working farmers and ranchers in Missouri. Now is the time to act. I urge you to immediately terminate all agency actions related to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion loan to the Grain Belt Express."

Read the full letter below.

Dear Secretary Wright,

I write to you once again to urge the termination of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) $4.9 billion conditional loan to the green-energy Grain Belt Express (GBE) transmission line. Your department recently terminated 24 awards issued by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), citing “that these projects failed to advance the energy needs of the American people, were not economically viable and would not generate a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.” Yet the GBE conditional loan has not been cancelled.

I have repeatedly raised concerns to DOE about the viability of this transmission line. Most recently, on March 25, 2025, I wrote to you after officials from the Department of Energy confirmed that your department is moving forward with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, a key step in approving the loan. I have yet to receive a substantive response to that letter.

During a recent House hearing, you stated, “It is deeply concerning how billions of dollars were rushed out the door without proper due diligence in the final days of the Biden administration.” I completely agree. The Biden administration’s Department of Energy approved the loan to the Grain Belt Express at the eleventh hour.

While I applaud DOE’s current efforts to roll back last-minute Biden era green energy projects that were not vetted nor were reliable energy projects, I’ve become increasingly concerned that DOE apparently has not taken action to halt all federal funding to the Grain Belt Express. Your department should be taking every possible action to stop this loan – not only to save taxpayer’s money, but also to save generational land from being ripped away from families and hard-working farmers and ranchers in Missouri.

Now is the time to act. I urge you to immediately terminate all agency actions related to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion loan to the Grain Belt Express. Additionally, please answer the following questions by no later than June 30, 2025:

—Why has your department not yet cancelled the Grain Belt Express $4.9 billion conditional loan?

—Does your department plan to terminate all agency actions related to advancing the loan to the Grain Belt Express?

—If not, can you provide clear and concise reasons as to why you and your department continue to advance this project over the objections of Missouri farmers and ranchers?

Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator

Trump Administration Moving Forward With Grain Belt Express Loan

 

By Senator Josh Hawley’s Office

On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, urging him to immediately cancel the Biden administration’s last-ditch attempt to force a $4.9 billion loan for the Grain Belt Express transmission line. The Biden administration pushed the nearly $5 billion loan through at the eleventh hour, allowing the government to seize land from Missouri’s farmers and ranchers.

“I write once again to bring your attention to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion conditional loan to the green-energy Grain Belt Express transmission line. Recently, officials from the Department of Energy confirmed that your department is moving forward with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, a key step in approving the loan. This goes directly against the wishes of constituents in my state – who have fought this transmission line for years,” argued Senator Hawley.

He reminded the Energy Secretary of his past correspondence with the agency and expressed his alarm that Energy is moving forward with a Biden-era loan designed to enrich out-of-state corporations with no regard for Missouri farmland. 

“I am alarmed that DOE is moving forward with the draft EIS process for the Grain Belt Express. Currently, Invenergy, the parent company for the Grain Belt Express is bringing eminent domain cases against farmers in my state. Additionally, I have repeatedly raised concerns to DOE about the viability of the transmission line. Your department should be taking every possible action to stop this loan,” he wrote.

Senator Hawley concluded, “It’s not too late to reverse course. I urge you to immediately terminate all agency actions related to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion loan to the Grain Belt Express.”

Read the full letter below. 

Dear Secretary Wright,

I write once again to bring your attention to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion conditional loan to the green-energy Grain Belt Express transmission line. Recently, officials from the Department of Energy confirmed that your department is moving forward with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, a key step in approving the loan. This goes directly against the wishes of constituents in my state – who have fought this transmission line for years.

Shortly after President Trump took office, DOE announced it would pause all loans funded by Democrats Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In response to this announcement, on February 4, 2025, I wrote a letter to DOE seeking clarity about status of the draft EIS and the Grain Belt Express’s conditional loan.

On March 6, 2025, I received correspondence from your department indicating that the process would continue to move forward. It reads:

“During the public comment period, DOE LPO hosted 6 public meetings – 4 in-person meetings and 2 virtual public meetings – to allow the public to learn more about DEIS, ask questions, and provide oral testimony, on the following dates. In person meetings: Feb. 10 (Dodge City, Kansas), Feb. 11 (Concordia, KS), Feb 12 (St. Joseph, MO), Feb. 13 (Carrollton, MO); Virtual Meetings: Feb. 19 and 20… LPO will review all the comments received and prepare a response to comments, document and incorporate any updates in the Environmental Impact Statement, and we estimate that DOE will issue a Final EIS in July 2025.”

I am alarmed that DOE is moving forward with the draft EIS process for the Grain Belt Express. Currently, Invenergy, the parent company for the Grain Belt Express is bringing eminent domain cases against farmers in my state. Additionally, I have repeatedly raised concerns to DOE about the viability of the transmission line. Your department should be taking every possible action to stop this loan. It’s not too late to reverse course. I urge you to immediately terminate all agency actions related to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion loan to the Grain Belt Express.

 

Bailey Seeks Halt to Grain Belt Express

On March 3, 2025, Attorney General Andrew Bailey wrote to the Department of Energy in strong opposition of the DOE Loan Programs Office proposal for a $4.9 billion loan guarantee. This loan would fund Invenergy’s Grain Belt Express wind energy transmission line project and be detrimental to Missouri farmers and ranchers. 

In the letter, Attorney General Bailey wrote, “During the waning, chaotic days of the Biden administration, DOE LPO granted “conditional approval” of this financing, before issuing a draft environmental impact statement, in what appears to be a last-minute, rushed effort to carry out its “green energy” agenda. Invenergy is a privately held corporation seeking to profit on the backs of Missouri landowners.”

Attorney General Bailey called out the Biden administration late last year to immediately discontinue spending on the GBE project as it was something a vast majority of Missourians did not want or ask for. He requested the administration to host a series of in-person meetings to allow Missourians the opportunity to share their thoughts regarding how the GBE will effect their livelihoods. The request went unanswered, and the DOE LPO granted only 45 days for public review of a 400 plus page DEIS, which is one of the key requirements to GBE’s requested loan guarantee. They also held public meetings which resulted in low attendance due to winter weather conditions. 

Bailey continued, “Due to this inadequate comment period and anemic effort at public engagement, I call on DOE LPO to terminate this wasteful and unnecessary project immediately. Or, at the very least, I call on DOE LPO to extend the comment period to 120 days and to hold additional in-person meetings so Missourians can have a meaningful opportunity to be heard.”

Attorney General Bailey requested the agency to adopt its “no-action” alternative to reject funding toward the GBE project. 

“Andrew Bailey has consistently stood for private property rights in our state,” said Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President Mike Deering. “This letter to the DOE LPO is yet another example of his efforts to protect the rights of landowners.”

Attorney General Bailey concluded, “Plain and simple, I will not stand back and allow Missouri to become a “green energy” playground for well-heeled, private, out-of-state interests looking to line their own pockets with government funding.”

A Moment with Mike -- Nuclear Power

There has been much discussion and serious debate in the last several years in Jefferson City concerning the future of our energy sources. Our coal plants are aging, wind energy is inadequate for a consistent supply and other sources of energy are extremely expensive to develop. The cost of permits for nuclear energy development and construction has been debated and many of you have heard of the expressed need from Ameren to start collecting money up front if they were to go ahead with plans to build another nuclear plant. Many are reluctant to do anything that may raise the rates of energy in Missouri and compromises have stalled. Missouri has some of the cheapest rates in the country at this time but we realize that with the growing demand for energy, we may have to start purchasing power from out of state sources and the prices are sure to rise.
Last week brought some welcome news for Missouri. Our state’s cooperative, municipal and investor-owned utilities have announced that they will collaborate with Westinghouse to apply for $450 million of Department of Energy (DOE) investment funding. If successful, these funds will support first-of-its-kind engineering, design certification and licensing for small modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs.
Westinghouse, an international leader in nuclear technology and the development of these cutting edge SMRs, chose Missouri’s electric service providers and the Callaway Energy Center as their ideal partners in this endeavor. The engagement by citizens and businesses on behalf of a strong nuclear energy future in Missouri played a significant role in helping create the environment needed to bring this partnership to our state.
Nuclear power remains one of our state’s best options for keeping electric rates low in the long term and this project will keep nuclear power an option for the state. With an aging infrastructure presently supplying our energy and increasing federal regulation, we must continue to explore all viable options. This project could also bring important economic development benefits as a result of the development of the SMR technology, with job growth opportunities related to manufacturing, engineering, and training centers.
SMR technology has been around for decades, largely used to power nuclear submarines and naval vessels. Using this technology for electric generation is safe, and costs less to construct compared to traditional nuclear units.
This project is dependent on the support of the Department of Energy to supply investment funds, however, the collaborative efforts and the strong possibilities that arise are exciting and may open more doors relating to future energy sources. We must continue to expand and diversify our energy sources for the future if we are to remain competitive and have the advantage of reasonable rates for our citizens.
If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 401B State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Department of Natural Resources to Hold Public Hearing on State Weatherization Plan in Jefferson City on April 12

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on the statewide Low-Income Weatherization Program annual application for the U.S. Department of Energy’s regular funding.

The department will hold the public hearing from 1 to 1:30 p.m., or until all comments are noted for public record, on Tuesday, April 12 at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 Riverside Drive, Jefferson City.

The program funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Energy and are administered by the department’s Division of Energy. Since the weatherization program began in 1978, funds have helped to weatherize more than 160,000 Missouri homes. The program supports energy-efficient housing, long-term reduction in utility bills and the comfort and safety of those served. The elderly, people with disabilities and families with children are program priorities.

The Low-Income Weatherization Program annual application is available for review online at dnr.mo.gov/energy/weatherization/wx.htm. Please address written comments on the plan to Marcy Oerly, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Energy, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176. Written comments must be postmarked no later than April 12, 2011.

Oral and written comments may be presented at the public hearings. After the hearings, the department will finalize the annual application and submit it to the U.S. Department of Energy.

People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meetings can make arrangements by calling the department’s Division of Energy at

800-361-4827 or 573-751-6630. Hearing impaired individuals may contact the department through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2955.