In one of his first official acts as president, Donald J. Trump signed an executive order on Monday halting federal leasing for offshore wind development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, casting uncertainty over the future of the nation’s nascent offshore wind industry.
The directive, which took immediate effect, pauses the issuance of new leases and orders a comprehensive review of existing projects. While it does not rescind current leases, the order instructs the Secretary of the Interior to assess opportunities to terminate or amend ongoing contracts.
“This withdrawal does not apply to leasing related to any other purposes such as, but not limited to, oil, gas, minerals, and environmental conservation,” the order reads.
The decision signals a stark departure from the Biden administration’s efforts to bolster offshore wind energy as part of its climate agenda. Under President Biden, the Department of the Interior had set ambitious goals of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 15 gigawatts of floating wind by 2035. Multiple commercial-scale wind farms were approved during Biden’s tenure, with six lease auctions conducted since 2022.
“We have more oil and gas than any country in the world, and we’re going to use it,” he said. “We’re not going to do the wind thing. Big, ugly windmills ruin your neighborhood, they kill birds, and they’re all made in China. But other than that, I think they’re quite good.”
The order directs federal agencies to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of offshore wind projects. Specifically, it calls for a study of their effects on marine life, navigation safety, and the costs associated with intermittent energy generation.
Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for Secretary of the Interior, offered some reassurances during his confirmation hearing, stating that approved projects “that make sense” would proceed. However, the order casts uncertainty over projects greenlit during Biden’s final days in office, leaving developers questioning their future.
As the review gets underway, the future of offshore wind energy in the United States remains uncertain, marking a sharp reversal from the trajectory set by the previous administration.
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