U.S. Energy Secretary Invokes Defense Production Act to Resume Offshore Drilling

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has invoked the Defense Production Act to direct a fossil fuel company to restart offshore oil drilling in Southern California. According to Ming Pao, this decision aims to mitigate the risk of energy supply disruptions in the region and for the U.S. military, which have been affected by policies from the Democratic Party. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has criticized the order as illegal and has threatened legal action. In addition, U.S. agricultural producers are expressing concerns over the impact of the conflict in Iran on local agricultural product prices. The ongoing situation may significantly affect production and harvests this year.