President Trump Halts Offshore Wind Development in Sweeping Executive Action
In a sweeping executive action on his first day in office, President Donald Trump has ordered an immediate halt to all offshore wind development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and launched a comprehensive review of existing wind energy projects.
The presidential memorandum, which took effect January 21, 2025, implements a complete withdrawal of all OCS areas from wind energy leasing and will remain in force until revoked. While the order doesn’t affect existing lease rights, it mandates a thorough review of current wind energy leases for potential termination or amendment.
The action marks a dramatic shift from the previous administration’s ambitious offshore wind goals, which targeted 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035. The Biden administration had approved 11 commercial-scale offshore wind projects and conducted six lease auctions since 2022, including first-ever sales in the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Gulf of Maine.
In addition, in April 2024, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced a five-year offshore wind leasing schedule with up to 12 potential lease sales through 2028—four sales in 2024, one each in 2025 and 2026, two in 2027, and four in 2028.
Industry response to Trump’s action has been swift and critical. The American Clean Power Association’s CEO Jason Grumet stated, “ACP strongly opposes blanket measures to halt or impede development of domestic wind energy on federal lands and waters,” noting the contradiction between the administration’s stated goals of reducing bureaucracy while implementing new barriers to energy development.
The impact on the U.S. maritime sector could be significant. The offshore wind industry had projected $65 billion in investments by 2030, supporting 56,000 jobs, with significant benefits for U.S. shipbuilding and maritime operations.
The memorandum also extends beyond offshore projects, implementing a broader moratorium on federal permitting for both onshore and offshore wind development pending a comprehensive environmental and economic review. This includes specific action on the Lava Ridge Wind Project, placing a temporary hold on all related activities.
This policy shift comes despite growing wind power adoption across political lines, with eight of the top ten states in wind power utilization being states that voted for Trump.