The Trump Administration froze construction on five offshore wind projects along the East Coast on Monday, citing vague “national security concerns” and putting billions of dollars in investment at risk. This is President Donald Trump’s second attempt to kill the offshore wind energy industry. In August, the Trump Administration illegally attempted to shut down Rhode Island’s Revolution Wind project and other East Coast offshore wind projects. The courts overturned that decision.
The Rhode Island AFL-CIO and Climate Jobs Rhode Island expressed serious concern following the announcement.
“This is not the first time this administration has tried to shut down offshore wind, and it will not be the last unless we continue to push back,” said Patrick Crowley, President of the RI AFL-CIO. “We already saw a stop-work order for Revolution Wind get overturned because it was reckless and unlawful. The result of these actions remains the same: workers lose hours, families face uncertainty, and energy prices stay high. Trump doesn’t pay the price for these delays, working people do.”
“For me and all other union members, this is another demoralizing day, especially during the Holiday season. This news just puts extra unneeded financial stress on all of us,” said Antonio Gianfrancesco, a union Laborer working on Revolution Wind. “We trained for these jobs, we followed every rule, and we’re doing the work right. We just want to keep working.”
When completed, these offshore wind projects would power 2.5 million homes with clean, affordable energy. Days after the Trump Administration first tried to shut down these projects, Christian Roselan, who leads Climate Action Rhode Island’s ‘Yes to Wind’ campaign, explained the need for these projects at a rally in Newport:
“We need offshore wind for zero-carbon winter power. We need it to power our society, all the heat pumps that are being installed, and all the electric vehicles that are coming online. Wind complements solar. Solar energy is great, but it produces more electricity in the spring and summer, and we also need power in the winter. That’s where offshore wind shines.
“We need this power so we can move to a zero-carbon economy, not just for us but also for our children and their children, because they’re the ones who will have to live in the mess that we’re making.
“We also need it to meet our state-mandated goals, including the Act on Climateand the 100% renewable energy standard. The Trump Administration and its local pawns want a hotter, more dangerous future so they don’t have to look at wind turbines, and so their friends, the oil executives in Texas and Louisiana, can get rich at our expense.
“We are reviewing today’s suspension order, and will continue to stand up to this President when his actions threaten to harm Rhode Islanders.”
Rhode Island political and environmental leaders were quick to respond to the Trump Administration’s latest attack on the environment and jobs:
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, who led the successful effort to overturn the Trump Administration’s first attempt to stop these projects, issued the following statement:
“Today’s surprise suspension order affecting nearly a half-dozen of America’s wind energy sites, including nearly completed Revolution Wind off the coast of Rhode Island, is yet another attempt by this President to continue his all-out assault on wind energy,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, who led the successful effort to overturn the Trump Administration’s first attempt to stop these projects. “The actions of this Administration have undercut our clean energy infrastructure, causing Rhode Islanders to pay the price – in the cost of ever-increasing energy bills, placing well-paying jobs in jeopardy, and preventing a future of domestic clean energy production. The courts have already reaffirmed what we have known to be true since day one: that this President cannot cancel clean energy projects just because he believes doing so is politically expedient for him.
“We are reviewing today’s suspension order, and will continue to stand up to this President when his actions threaten to harm Rhode Islanders.”
"This is a desperate rerun of the Trump Administration’s failed attempt to kill offshore wind - an effort the courts have already rejected," said Kate Sinding Daly, senior vice president for law and policy at Conservation Law Foundation (CLF). CLF is reviewing the Trump announcement and determining next steps. “Many of these clean energy projects passed years of rigorous review, were upheld in court, and are moving forward. Trying again to halt these projects tramples on the rule of law, threatens jobs, and deliberately sabotages a critical industry that strengthens, not weakens, America’s energy security."
“President Trump’s outdated energy policies are killing good-paying union jobs and have already increased energy bills for the average American family by thirteen percent since January,” said Senator Jack Reed (Democrat, Rhode Island). “While energy prices are soaring and our competitors across the globe are racing to innovate and find new sources of clean energy, we need to make energy more affordable and our energy grid more resilient. But Trump’s repeated attacks on offshore wind are holding our nation back, increasing energy bills, and hurting our economy.
“The Ocean State knows the great potential of offshore wind for our economy and environment. I will continue fighting to ensure these projects can move forward to help lower energy bills for Rhode Islanders and create more jobs and more opportunities for all.”
“It’s hard to see the difference between these new alleged radar-related national security concerns and the radar-related national security allegations the Trump administration lost in court, a position so weak that they declined to appeal their defeat,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, Rhode Island). “Revolution Wind was long ago thoroughly vetted and fully permitted by the federal government, and that review included any potential national security questions. This looks more like the kind of vindictive harassment we have come to expect from the Trump administration than anything legitimate. This is President Donald ‘Stop Work’ Trump trying to keep affordable, clean energy off the grid, without a care about how many working people have to lose their jobs to keep his fossil fuel billionaires happy,
“Trump’s attacks on Revolution Wind are not based on science and facts,” said United States Representative Gabe Amo (Democrat, Rhode Island). “The Administration is putting forward disingenuous arguments about ‘national security’ to try to kill this project simply because Donald Trump doesn’t like offshore wind. I will keep fighting to make sure this project is completed. We must deliver more affordable energy and a greener future for all Rhode Islanders.”
“At a time when working people in Rhode Island are struggling with high costs on everything, Trump should not be canceling energy projects that are nearly ready to deliver reliable power to the grid at below-market rates and help lower costs,” said United States Representative Seth Magaziner. “Claims that the Revolution Wind Project or other offshore wind projects pose national security concerns are unfounded. The Department of Defense thoroughly reviewed and signed off on this project during the permitting and approval process.
“This is just another example of the Trump Administration needlessly driving up costs for working people.”
“The Trump administration’s latest attempt to derail offshore wind projects is reckless and unjustified. It threatens local economies, thousands of jobs, and the affordable, reliable energy our communities need,” said Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee, who offered to allow new fossil fuel infrastructure to be built in Rhode Island as part of a deal to get the Revolution Wind project back online. “Trying to stop these projects now is cruel to workers and their families, especially during the holiday season. Revolution Wind is nearly complete, has received all necessary approvals, and has had its permits upheld by a federal court—there is no reason to halt its progress. We will work with other impacted states to pursue every available option to keep this project, and others like it, moving forward.”
Why not just ignore the stop order? Keep work till it goes through the court. The court should impost a “stop work” order for trump.
Excellent summary, Steve! Incredibly fast and wonderfully thorough. Bravo!