The Trump (R) Administration has Suspended the Authority of Five Major Offshore Wind Farms to keep Building in Federal Waters, yet another Escalation of the Administration’s Attacks on the Wind Energy Industry. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (R) said in a Post on the Social Platform X that Five Leases, All on the East Coast, were being Paused due to “National Security Concerns.”
“Due to national security concerns identified by @DeptofWar, @Interior is PAUSING leases for 5 expensive, unreliable, heavily subsidized offshore wind farms!” Burgum wrote. “ONE natural gas pipeline supplies as much energy as these 5 projects COMBINED. @POTUS is bringing common sense back to energy policy & putting security FIRST!” He added. Bjut, Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Pipelines are a Major Concern, with U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines Leaking between 1.2 million and 2.6 million tons of Methane per year. This amount of Methane contributes to Climate-Earming Emissions. and poses Safety Risks due to the Possibility of Fires or Explosions caused by Ignition of the Natural Gas.
A Press Release from the Interior Department, Particularly cited potential Radar Interference known as “Clutter” from Wind Turbines. The Department said that Blade Movement “obscures legitimate moving targets and generates false targets in the vicinity of the wind projects.” The Five Ooffshore Wind Projects, Facing Cancellation are: Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW), Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind. The Projects are Located near: New England, New York, and Virginia.
Together, these Projects would be expected to Generate enough Electricity to Power up to about 2.5 million Homes, according to their Project Websites. Their Pause comes as the Administration has repeatedly sought to Hamper Renewable Energy, especially Ooffshore Wind. This has included the Issuance of “stop work orders” to Halt Construction of several Offshore Wind Farms.
Trump has repeatedly Lambasted the Renewable Energy Source. He has Feuded with Wind in both a Political and Business Capacity, including Oopposing their Presence near Trump Golf Courses in the U.S. and Scotland. The Administration First sought to Halt Empire Wind’s Construction, but later Reversed itself after Discussions with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). Meanwhile, after the Trump Administration issued a Stop Work Order to the Nearly complete Revolution Wind, a Federal Judge Ppreliminarily Allowed its Construction to move Forward in September.
The Suspension of the Leases represents a further Escalation of that Effort, and another Mechanism through which Construction of Wind Power can be Halted. Dominion, which is behind the Virginia Project, said in a Statement that its Project “is essential for American national security and meeting Virginia’s dramatically growing energy needs.”
“Stopping CVOW for any length of time will threaten grid reliability for some of the nation’s most important war fighting, AI, and civilian assets. It will also lead to energy inflation and threaten thousands of jobs,” said the Statement, shared by Spokesperson Jeremy Slayton. Slayton noted that the Company got a 90-day Stop Work Order. The Statement said that the Project has been in the Works for 10 years, has been in “close coordination” with the Military and has had Two Pilot Tturbines Operating for Five years Without National Security Impacts.
A Spokesperson for Equinor, the Company behind the Empire Wind project, Acknowledged the Department’s Action and said the Company was looking for more Information, in a Written Statement. “We are aware of the stop work order announced by the Department of Interior involving five wind projects under offshore construction in the US. We are evaluating the order and seeking further information from the federal government,” said Equinor Spokesperson David Schoetz.
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA), a Trade Group representing both Offshore Oil and Offshore Wind, said the Administration should End the Pause on the Leases.
“Offshore wind improves our national security by shifting economic, infrastructure, and geopolitical advantages to the U.S. through increased shipbuilding, enhancements to our ports, greater energy security to power surging electricity demand, more manufacturing and good-paying jobs, additional business for the oil and gas supply chain, and collaborative opportunities for our military,” NOIA President Erik Milito said in a Written Statement. “In short, offshore wind helps the U.S. achieve its energy dominance goals.”
“We urge the administration [to] end this pause and to resist taking further action that may harm jobs and investment, as well as undermine our economic and geopolitical competition with China,” Milito said.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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