WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said Monday it is pausing leases for five large-scale offshore wind projects under construction in the East Coast due to unspecified national security risks identified by the Pentagon.
The pause is effective immediately and will give the Interior Department, which oversees offshore wind, time to work with the Defense Department and other agencies to assess the possible ways to mitigate any security risks posed by the projects, the administration said.
“The prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers.”
The administration stated that leases are paused for the Vineyard Wind project under construction in Massachusetts, Revolution Wind in Rhode Island and Connecticut, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, and two projects in New York: Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind.
The Interior Department also raised concerns that massive turbine blades and highly reflective towers from these offshore wind projects create radar interference known as “clutter.” This clutter obscures legitimate moving targets and creates false targets in the vicinity of wind projects.
This decision follows a federal judge's recent ruling that struck down Trump's prior executive order blocking wind energy projects, deeming it unlawful. Judge Patti Saris ruled in favor of a coalition of 17 state attorneys general who challenged Trump's initiative to halt leasing and permitting for wind energy projects.
Trump has historically been critical of renewable energy initiatives, especially offshore wind, prioritizing fossil fuels for electricity generation.
