Trump temporarily halts leasing and permitting for wind energy projects

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday temporarily halting offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and pausing the issuance of approvals, permits and loans for both onshore and offshore wind energy projects.

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The Secretary of the Interior will review wind energy leasing and permitting practices on water and federal lands. The order states that the assessment will take into account the environmental impact of wind projects on wildlife, the economic costs associated with intermittent electricity generation and the impact of subsidies on the viability of the wind industry.

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Trump wants to increase oil and gas drilling and has been hostile to renewable energy, especially offshore wind. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for Interior Secretary, was asked during his confirmation hearing whether he would commit to continuing offshore wind leases that have been issued. Burgum said that the projects that are logical and have already been implemented will continue.

Wind energy currently provides about 10% of the electricity generated in the United States, making it the largest source of renewable energy in the country. There are 73 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity under development in the United States, enough to power 30 million homes, according to the American Clean Energy Association.

The order also temporarily prohibits Magic Valley Energy from continuing development of the Lava Ridge wind energy project in Idaho. The federal government approved a scaled-down wind farm plan last December due to local opposition, including from groups concerned about its proximity to a historic site where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II.

During his election campaign, Trump pledged to end the offshore wind industry once he returned to the White House. He says he wants to boost production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, which cause climate change, so that the United States can have the lowest-cost energy and electricity of any country in the world.

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It is unclear how much power he has to stop wind projects, especially those that have federal permits. His order will likely be challenged in court, just like an executive order President Joe Biden signed shortly after taking office in 2021 suspending new oil and gas lease sales was challenged.

Shortly after his election, Trump tasked New Jersey congressman and outspoken critic of offshore wind, Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, with drafting an executive order on offshore wind that he could issue early in his term. Van Drew said he quickly sent the draft to Burgum. Van Drew sees the executive order as a first step toward a final moratorium on offshore wind development.

By also including onshore wind projects, Monday’s order is much broader than what Van Drew proposed. Trump says wind turbines are terrible, only work with subsidies, and are “many times” more expensive than natural gas.

Offshore wind is among the new energy generation sources that will be the most expensive, at about $100 per megawatt hour for new grid-connected projects in 2028, according to EIA estimates. This includes tax breaks under the Inflation Reduction Act, which reduces the cost of renewable technologies. But onshore wind energy is one of the cheapest sources, costing about $31 on average for new projects.

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The new natural gas plants are expected to produce electricity at about $43 per megawatt hour, according to estimates. In addition to price, it’s important to consider grid reliability — natural gas power plants can be turned on at any time throughout the day, unlike solar or wind power, the EIA said.

The new executive order is only the first step toward the U.S. moving away from offshore wind, a “harmful technology,” said Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast NJ, one of the most vocal groups opposing offshore wind on the East Coast. Towards more promising and sustainable energy sources.

But Kate Kennedy, managing director for energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the Trump administration is putting dirty fossil fuels front and center while delaying progress on renewable energy projects. Kennedy said in a statement that this is not only bad for clean air, public health and national security, but it cuts off a promising source of additional energy at a time when the grid needs it most.

The Biden administration has sought to ramp up offshore wind power as a solution to climate change, setting national targets for offshore wind deployment, holding lease sales and approving nearly a dozen commercial offshore wind projects. The country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm opened in March, a 12-turbine wind farm called South Fork Wind, located 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point, New York.

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