Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
President Trump ordered the Treasury Department to freeze new offshore wind leases on the Outer Continental Shelf Monday evening as one of a series of executive orders he signed just hours after taking office.
The order removes the entire platform for new or renewed offshore wind leasing, but does not affect existing leases or leases on the continental shelf for oil and gas development. It also directs the Interior Department to lead a review of the environmental impacts of offshore wind leasing in collaboration with the Departments of Energy, Agriculture and Commerce.
The order specifically directs the review to look at the effects of offshore wind on bird and marine mammal life. Trump has often railed against offshore wind turbines, claiming they kill birds and whales. Although wind turbines have been linked to an increase in bird deaths, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said there is no evidence of a link between offshore wind and increased bird fatalities. whales
Trump promised, both on the campaign trail and between the election and his inauguration, to take action against offshore wind, a promise that marks the intersection of a technology that has been particularly derided and the broader expected pushback of the promotion of renewable energy under the Biden administration. Earlier this month, Rep. Jeff van Drew (RN.J.), who represents a mostly beachfront district in southern New Jersey, said in a statement that he was in the process of drafting an executive order on the subject
The National Association of Ocean Industries (NOIA) in a statement warned of possible disruptions to the industry due to this move.
“Many offshore wind projects have been approved or are close to approval after years of reviews,” NOIA President Erik Milito said in a statement. “In any emerging industry, even minor delays can cause setbacks for several years, leading to bottlenecks and higher costs that ultimately affect energy consumers. Our member companies across the entire energy supply chain oil and gas are beneficiaries of the economic growth that derives from investment in offshore wind projects.”
