An ill wind blows toward offshore turbines
By
Bonner Cohen, Ph. D.
|
February 4th, 2025
Signaling a sharp departure from Biden administration green-energy policies, President Donald Trump Jan. 20 signed an executive order temporarily halting offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and pausing the issuance of approvals, permits, and loans for both offshore and onshore wind projects.
An outspoken critic of wind power, especially offshore wind projects, Trump plans to use the federal permitting process to tie up proposed wind installations in endless red tape and, in so doing, discourage investors from putting their money into capital-intensive wind projects.
Upending the hitherto prevailing narrative surrounding the importance of wind power in combatting climate change, the Trump executive order casts doubt on the economic and environmental legitimacy of offshore wind turbines. In putting offshore wind developers through the ringer of a rigorous review process, the Trump order cites “the need to foster an energy economy capable of meeting the country’s growing demand for reliable energy, the importance of marine life, impacts on ocean currents and wind patterns, effects on energy costs for all Americans – especially those who can least afford it – and to ensure that the United States is able to maintain a robust fishing industry for future generations and provide low-cost energy to its citizens.”
https://www.cfact.org/2025/02/04/an-ill-wind-blows-toward-offshore-turbines/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-ill-wind-blows-toward-offshore-turbines&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-ill-wind-blows-toward-offshore-turbines
