President Trump on Monday night directed the Treasury Department to freeze new offshore wind leasing on the outer edge of the continental shelf, one of a series of executive orders he signed within hours of taking office.
The order cancels the entire shelf of new or renewed offshore wind leases, but does not affect existing leases or continental shelf leases for oil and gas development. It also directs the Department of the Interior to work with the Departments of Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce to lead a review of the environmental impacts of offshore wind leases.
The order specifically directs a review to analyze the effects of offshore wind on bird and marine mammal life. President Trump has frequently criticized offshore wind turbines for killing birds and whales. Wind turbines have been linked to increased bird deaths, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said there is no evidence of a link between offshore wind power and increased whale deaths.
Trump vowed to take action on offshore wind power during the campaign and between his election and his inauguration, but this pledge is a technology that Trump has particularly derided and is expected to expand more broadly under the Biden administration. This shows that there will be a setback in the promotion of renewable energy. Earlier this month, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (RN.J.), who represents a largely waterfront district in southern New Jersey, said in a statement that he is drafting an executive order on the subject. said.
The National Marine Industry Association (NOIA) warned in a statement that the move could cause disruption to the industry.
“After years of review, many offshore wind projects have been approved or are nearing approval,” NOIA President Eric Milito said in a statement. “In any emerging industry, a small delay can lead to multi-year setbacks, resulting in bottlenecks and rising costs that ultimately impact energy consumers.Oil and Gas Our member companies across the entire supply chain are beneficiaries of the economic growth that comes from investing in offshore wind projects.”
