The Impact of Trump’s Offshore Wind Moratorium
Details of the six-month moratorium on offshore wind being prepared by the transition team of president-elect Trump have come to light with some extremely damaging consequences for the industry if they come to pass.
Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20, has already made it clear that no new windmills will be built during his presidency. This stance has now been translated into action, with Republican representative Jeff Van Drew tasked by Trump to draft an executive order freezing offshore wind activities for six months.
The draft executive order, revealed by Heatmap, was prepared by the REACT Alliance, a group focused on protecting California coasts from destructive energy industries. The order includes provisions such as a full-government review of all approved offshore wind projects, a stop-work order on construction, and assessments by various government departments on the impacts of offshore wind.
Key Provisions of the Executive Order
Some of the key provisions of the draft executive order include:
- Review of approved offshore wind projects for reconsideration based on various factors
- Stop-work order on construction until the review is completed
- Assessment by military branches on impacts of offshore wind projects
- Exclusion of offshore wind projects from tax credits until a comprehensive review is conducted
- Evaluation of economic impacts by Commerce, Energy, and Interior Departments
- Suspension of federal grants and loans related to offshore wind projects
- Reevaluation of lawsuits related to offshore wind projects by the Justice Department
- Overhaul of NOAA’s process for reviewing commercial activities in protected habitats
- Studies on health impacts of offshore wind projects on humans and animals
- Audit of federal funding to universities and research institutions related to offshore wind
The draft executive order also involved the work of Lisa Quattrocki Knight, president of Green Oceans, an anti-offshore wind organization in Rhode Island. The moratorium aims to slow down offshore wind development by giving the government time to conduct thorough reviews and assessments.
Despite these challenges, Mandy Davis, president of REACT Alliance, remains optimistic about the future of offshore wind. “Even though the federal government is going to put major monkey wrenches in the works, it’s going to take a while,” she told Heatmap.
As the industry navigates through this moratorium, stakeholders will need to adapt to the changing landscape of offshore wind development in the United States.