President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday that will substantially reduce federal support for offshore wind power and potentially halt the controversial industry’s development in the Gulf of Maine.
The order prevents any of the Outer Continental Shelf, including the entire coastline of the mainland U.S. and Alaska, from being leased for offshore wind development indefinitely until the president decides to lift the restrictions.
Additionally, the order calls for an immediate review of the federal leasing process for both offshore and onshore wind development, which will consider the potential downsides, including “negative impacts on navigational safety interests, transportation interests, national security interests, commercial interests, and marine mammals.”
The order strikes a massive blow against an industry that has been heavily reliant on federal leases, generous government subsidies, and lucrative power purchase agreements from coastal states — agreements that typically depend on customers paying more for electricity.
[RELATED: President Trump Planning Executive Order to Protect East Coast from Offshore Wind Development…]
The order suggests that current studies showing an environmental benefit from the turbines may be insufficient and requests new studies to assess the various impacts on the environment, economy, and energy grid.
Trump’s order was celebrated by New England fishermen, who have long said heavy industrial activity in the Gulf of Maine would threaten commercially important fisheries.
Until the studies are complete, the federal government will not issue any more offshore or onshore leases, nor renew any that already exist.
The order will be a massive obstacle to the energy policies Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) and Democrats in the state legislature have advanced for more than five years.
Gov. Mills has multiple full-time staffers dedicated exclusively to wind power and has supported legislation that would create a port on Maine’s coast for building, servicing, and installing offshore wind turbines. But even the most optimistic view of offshore wind’s feasibility relied on massive government support.
State Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport) celebrated Trump’s order in a statement given to The Maine Wire.
“President Trump’s executive order puts the brakes on offshore wind. This order immediately halts any new federal leases for offshore wind projects and sets the stage for his administration to terminate or amend existing wind energy leases based on ecological, economic and environmental necessity,” said Rep. Paul.
“This is a huge win for Maine and our citizens against the environmental and economic carnage of our current energy policy. Janet Mills should recognize the prevailing winds and immediately halt all offshore wind spending,“ she added.
The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) also put out a statement celebrating the executive order.
“We are grateful that the new administration is protecting our iconic, multi-generational trade from foreign energy companies and alphabet soup agencies destroying our way of life,” said NEFSA CEO Jerry Leeman
“After four years of rushing leases and approvals to wind industry insiders, President Trump’s new directive will bring fairness and order to offshore wind development. Anyone committed to protecting our natural resources should welcome these changes.”
The order shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone tracking Trump’s comments about
Just days before his inauguration, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with offshore wind development and hoped that no new turbines would be built during his time in office.
“Windmills are an economic and environmental disaster. I don’t want even one built during my Administration. The thousands of dead and broken ones should be ripped down ASAP. Most expensive energy, only work with massive government subsidies, which we will no longer pay,” said Trump.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="34273 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=34273">5 Comments
THANK YOU Donald Trump .
You’ve taken a ONE giant step forward in saving the future of The State of Maine !
Bravo !
Thank you President Trump for saving our way of life. I understand it is all wind turbines on federal land and no more subsidies.
“and lucrative power purchase agreements from coastal states — agreements that typically depend on customers paying more for electricity.” But, But, No one has to pay the sun to shine and the wind blows for free….Somehow my electicity bill here at the house has doubled in the past few years…..Does President Trump know something that Governess Mills does not want to know, publicly?
It was 8 below Zero around here the other night .
How are all those “ miracle “ Heat Pumps working out for you ?
LMAO
Cha Ching ….wait to you get that power bill !
Maine dodges a bullet, but the bad news is our electric rates will continue to rise due to policies that hinged on offshore wind mills and the eradication of natural gas use that the Democrats are currently plotting to make into law .If only Trump could issue an executive order to rid Maine of democrat socialist rule