Trump's ambitious attempt to shut down the Empire Wind offshore wind farm marks his most significant challenge to renewable wind energy projects so far.
In a series of recent developments, the construction of the Empire Wind offshore wind project off the New York coast has been halted, marking a significant turn of events in the world of renewable energy.
The Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum, has ordered a review of information suggesting that the Biden administration rushed through its approval of the Empire Wind project without sufficient analysis. This move, according to Burgum, is aimed at ensuring a thorough examination of the project's implications.
Meanwhile, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., Judge Amit Mehta, has ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must immediately release at least some of the $20 billion in climate grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The EPA, however, has appealed this ruling.
The EPA Administrator, Lee Zeldin, had earlier claimed "waste, fraud, and abuse" in the issuance of the "green bank" funds. However, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., determined that Zeldin failed to prove these claims.
The halt on construction marks the first time President Donald Trump's administration has attempted to shut down a fully permitted, in-construction offshore wind project. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has decried this move as federal overreach, stating she will fight it to protect union jobs, affordable energy, and New York's economic future.
Offshore wind is critical to New York's renewable energy goals, with the state aiming to get 70% of its power from renewable sources by 2030. The Empire Wind project, if completed, would contribute significantly towards achieving this goal.
There are five offshore wind projects under construction in the U.S. and nine that have received all necessary permits to start building. The effects of the halt on the Empire Wind project could spill over well beyond the world of offshore wind, potentially affecting the entire industry.
Equinor, the company behind the Empire Wind project, had received its first site assessment approval from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in 2018. The Biden administration issued final approval for the project in November 2023.
The Biden administration's decision to approve the Empire Wind project has been met with criticism from some quarters, with concerns about the speed at which the approval was granted. This week's order from the Interior Department has cranked up the risk and uncertainty for the developers of offshore wind projects, potentially affecting the entire industry.
In a separate development, a federal judge in Rhode Island determined that the Trump administration must fully restore climate- and infrastructure-related grants awarded via the Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure law. Millions of dollars in awards, including for electric school buses, remain inaccessible despite several judges ordering IRA and infrastructure law funds to be released.
According to a statement from Liz Burdock, president and CEO of Oceantic Network, the effects could spill over well beyond the world of offshore wind. The future of renewable energy projects in the U.S. hangs in the balance as these developments unfold.
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