Trump has vowed to kill US offshore wind projects. Will he succeed?

The wind developers are private companies that have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars purchasing the leasing rights to the wind energy areas and associated costs.

The parts of the projects under federal control are a) reviewing the proposed leasing areas and projects, b) putting the leasing areas up for auction, c) reviewing the environmental impacts, and d) ensuring the developers remain in environmental compliance throughout construction and operation. That's all the federal government can control, and other than that the private business can do what it wants. A, b, and c has pretty much already happened on a huge swath of all wind energy areas, and the only thing he be able to stop now is compliance of already leased areas and leasing additional areas.

That means if he stops up from maintaining compliance, the developers will have no reason (other than personal moral compass) to not harm the environment (including harming severely endangered right whales) and not report it. He can't stop the current projects from happening, at least not without huge legal battles costing the federal government a massive amount of money to pay back the developers. Not to mention the tens of thousands of jobs he'd be costing of he put them out of work when they've already been contracted for years at a time.

5 comments

Trump said. “They ruin the environment, they kill the birds, they kill the whales.”
So it's not dogs and cats this time. Ok.
Investors are interested in projects that start making money quickly, and wind is pretty good at that over other power infrastructure. Trump is going to be fighting the free markets that he holds so dear.
- Trump does not hold the free markets dear. He holds only himself dear.
- Sounds pretty anti business to me, regulations are looking this country haven't you heard?
The wind developers are private companies that have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars purchasing the leasing rights to the wind energy areas and associated costs.
The parts of the projects under federal control are a) reviewing the proposed leasing areas and projects, b) putting the leasing areas up for auction, c) reviewing the environmental impacts, and d) ensuring the developers remain in environmental compliance throughout construction and operation. That's all the federal government can control, and other than that the private business can do what it wants. A, b, and c has pretty much already happened on a huge swath of all wind energy areas, and the only thing he be able to stop now is compliance of already leased areas and leasing additional areas.
That means if he stops up from maintaining compliance, the developers will have no reason (other than personal moral compass) to not harm the environment (including harming severely endangered right whales) and not report it. He can't stop the current projects from happening, at least not without huge legal battles costing the federal government a massive amount of money to pay back the developers. Not to mention the tens of thousands of jobs he'd be costing of he put them out of work when they've already been contracted for years at a time.
- the private business can do what it wants.
  "Noooo not like that..."