President Donald Trump signed an executive order blocking all lease sales for offshore wind projects and pausing any new approvals, permits, leases, or loans for wind projects both on and offshore.
The executive order fulfills the president’s promise to prevent the construction of offshore wind projects as he seeks to reorient energy policy on fossil fuels.
It temporarily withdraws wind from leasing in all areas within the Offshore Continental Shelf, barring any area in the region from being considered for new or renewed wind energy projects. The order explicitly states those areas can still be leased for projects dealing with oil, gas, minerals, or environmental conservation.
While the order claims no rights under existing leases will be affected in the leasing withdrawal, it also gives the secretary of the interior the authority to conduct reviews regarding terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases.
The executive order also calls on the secretary of the interior to conduct a comprehensive assessment and review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices, considering environmental and economic impacts, before issuing any permits or approvals for projects onshore and offshore.
Awesome, finally the people are being heard and their opinions considered. We don’t want wind power in our Atlantic Ocean.