The former administration of former President Donald Trump has effectively vetoed $679 million in federal funding for offshore wind demonstration projects. This unprecedented move has drawn fire from renewable energy advocates and industry leaders. The offshore projects the Trump administration has denied funding/final approvals for so far totals 12. This ruling poses a dramatic setback to the advancement of clean energy options.
Among these are some ambitious and commendable projects that are among the 30 projects cancelled. These include a $427 million challenge in California and a $47 million award for an offshore wind logistics and manufacturing center around the Port of Baltimore, Maryland. On top of that, funding for a $48 million new terminal project on Staten Island, New York has been eliminated. The state and its public ports hoped the Humboldt Bay project would be the first of many offshore wind terminals on the Pacific coast. WATCH UNFORTUNATELY, THIS REFORM IS NOW OFFICIALLY SCRAPPED, one of the biggest blows.
Trump’s administration has made it a habit of sabotaging green energy, especially wind power. He calls it an “ugly and expensive” energy source. He misattributes the increased penetration of renewable energy to the currently skyrocketing electricity prices in the U.S. Critics charge that under his approach, the United States will lose its competitive edge in the global arena.
Trump went on record during his administration to condemn the construction of windmills. He argued, “We’re not letting windmills get built except for maybe a legal case where somebody promised them one, you know, decades ago.”
The sudden end to funding not only has dire short-term economic consequences. Becoming increasingly alarmed by the administration’s cancellation of SITGR grant for the Salem port project, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey weighed in. She pointed out that this decision means 800 construction workers will lose their jobs.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy weighed in on the decision, asserting that it reflects a prioritization of “real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little.” He further stated that the money could have been spent on programs that would help grow America’s maritime sector.
A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Trump’s actions as an “assaulting clean energy and infrastructure projects,” further arguing that such moves hurt businesses and threaten job growth in rural areas while ceding economic advantages to other nations like China.
The unexpected cancellation of these projects is a glaring example of the administration’s u-turn from investing in renewable energy, under Trump’s direction. He has spent his time at the agency pushing for deregulation and prioritizing fossil fuels over safety. At the same time, renewable sector stakeholders are trying to figure out the long-term impact of this funding cut.
