Trump freezes new outer continental shelf offshore wind leases

President Trump directed the Treasury Department to freeze new offshore wind leases on the outer continental shelf Monday evening as one of a flurry of executive orders he signed within hours of taking office.

The order withdraws the entire shelf for new or renewed offshore wind leasing, but does not affect either existing leases or leases in 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 Energy, Agriculture and Commerce departments.

The order specifically directs the review to analyze offshore wind’s effects on bird and marine mammal life. Trump has frequently railed against offshore wind turbines, claiming they kill birds and whales. While wind turbines have been connected with increased bird deaths, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said there is no evidence of a link between offshore wind and increased whale fatalities.

Trump vowed both on the campaign trail and between the election and his inauguration to take action against offshore wind, a pledge that marks the intersection of a technology he has particularly derided and broader expected rollbacks of renewable energy promotion under the Biden administration. Earlier this month, Rep. Jeff van Drew (R-N.J.), who represents a largely beachfront southern New Jersey district, said in a statement that he was in the process of drafting an executive order on the subject.

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) in a statement warned of potential disruptions to the industry by the move.

“Many offshore wind projects have been approved or are close to approval after undergoing years of reviews,” NOIA President Erik Milito said in a statement. “In any emerging industry, even minor delays can lead to multi-year setbacks, resulting in bottlenecks and higher costs that ultimately impact energy consumers. Our member companies throughout the oil and gas supply chain are beneficiaries of economic growth that flows from investment in offshore wind projects.”

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