President Donald Trump is moving to halt offshore wind farm projects along the Northeast coast, a decision that aligns with local concerns over marine life and environmental impact, Breitbart reported.
The projects, championed by outgoing President Joe Biden, faced backlash from residents, environmentalists, and tourism-dependent communities who opposed the industrialization of natural shorelines and feared adverse effects on marine ecosystems.
Trump's efforts have gained momentum through support from political leaders such as Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J. Van Drew confirmed that Trump asked him to draft an executive order to stop the projects.
"I said, 'Mr. President, we need to move on this.' He said, 'Yeah, we definitely do. I agree. I'm against them,' " Van Drew told The Associated Press. He added that his draft had been shared with Doug Burgum, Trump's pick for Interior secretary.
The Department of the Interior oversees the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which handles offshore wind approvals.
Environmental concerns, including allegations of links between sonar work and a spike in whale deaths along the East Coast, have fueled opposition to offshore wind projects.
While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration attributes the whale mortality to an "unusual mortality event" beginning in 2016, critics remain skeptical.
Former New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, a vocal opponent of offshore wind farms, confirmed his discussion with Burgum at a pre-inaugural event. Kanitra stated on X that Burgum assured him no new wind farms would be developed off New Jersey's coast under Trump's administration.
"So sorry to break this news to all the international corporations that were trying to industrialize our ocean and destroy the Jersey Shore, but you guys might as well start packing up now," Kanitra wrote on social media.
The Biden administration's offshore wind initiatives were a cornerstone of its climate policies, with significant subsidies allocated through the Inflation Reduction Act. Despite this, local opposition intensified following reports of dead whales and dolphins washing ashore in 2023, a phenomenon some attributed to wind farm sonar surveys.
The controversy has already led to setbacks for some projects.
Ørsted, a Danish company behind New Jersey's Ocean Wind I and II projects, canceled its plans in November, 2023, citing inflation and supply chain challenges.
In Massachusetts, the Italian firm Prysmian Group announced it would not proceed with a $300 million wind project in Somerset. However, it did not directly link its decision to Trump's policy stance.
Despite the political and environmental debates, BOEM approved one last project under the Biden administration: the Mayflower Wind Farm off the Massachusetts coast. Under Trump's policies, this development may be "grandfathered" in.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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