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Rep. Jeff Van Drew (RNJ) said Tuesday that he is working with President-elect Trump on an executive order that would stop the construction of new wind turbines, a frequent target of Trump, on the East Coast.
In a statement, Van Drew said he has been “working closely” with Trump on the measure, as well as on long-term plans for permanent restrictions on offshore wind projects. The New Jersey Republican predicted the order would end within months of Trump’s inauguration.
“This executive order is just the beginning. We will fight tooth and nail to prevent this offshore wind disaster from wreaking havoc on the hardworking people who approach our coastal cities,” Van Drew said in a statement.
Van Drew’s southern New Jersey district includes beach towns and summer camps such as Cape May, Atlantic City and Long Beach Island. In July, the Biden administration approved the Garden State’s first wind project, a 200-turbine project by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind that would be visible from Long Beach Island. The administration set a broader goal of approving wind projects on both coasts.
Trump has long been a pusher of fossil fuels, which are the main cause of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, and a detractor of renewable energy. He has expressed particular opposition to wind power, considering it inefficient and unsightly and blaming it for the deaths of birds and whales.
Existing data suggest that turbines kill several hundred thousand birds annually, but the American Bird Conservancy estimates this is an undercount and the number could exceed a million under current turbine levels. However, house cats and buildings kill much more, seconds on the MIT climate portal.
Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration he says there is “no significant evidence” linking turbines to increased whale deaths.
At a wide-ranging press conference last week, Trump suggested he planned to seek an end to new offshore wind power in his second term, saying “we’re going to try to have a policy where no windmills are built” and suggested that the ‘would end by executive order “on day one” during his 2024 campaign.
The Hill has reached out to Trump’s transition team for comment.
