Trump Has Vowed To Kill US Offshore Wind Projects. Will He Succeed?

Opponents of offshore wind energy projects expect President-elect Donald Trump to kill an industry he has vowed to end on first day he returns to White House.
But it might t be that easy.

Many of largest offshore wind companies put a brave face on election results, pledging to work with Trump and Congress to build power projects and igring incoming president's oft-stated hostility to m.
In campaign appearances, Trump railed against offshore wind and promised to sign an executive order to block such projects.

"We are going to make sure that that ends on Day 1," Trump said in a May speech. "I'm going to write it out in an executive order. It's going to end on Day 1."
"y destroy everything, y're horrible, most expensive energy re is," Trump said. "y ruin environment, y kill birds, y kill whales."

Numerous federal and state scientific ncies say re is evidence linking offshore wind preparation to a spate of whale deaths along U.S. East Coast in recent years. Turbines have been kwn to kill shorebirds, but industry and regulators say re are policies to mitigate harm to environment.
Trump has railed against offshore wind turbines spoiling view from a golf course he owns in Scotland. But numerous environmental groups say real reason he opposes offshore wind is his support for fossil fuel industry.

re is almost 65 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity under development in U.S., eugh to power more than 26 million homes, and some turbines are alrey spinning in several states, according to American Clean Power Association.
Currently operating projects include Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project and South Fork Wind Farm about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point on New York's Long Island.

Trump is unlikely to end those projects but might have more lever over ones still in planning st, those in debate say.
Bob Stern, who heed an office in U.S. Energy Department responsible for environmental protection during Ford, Carter and Reagan ministrations, said Trump can get Congress to reduce or eliminate tax credits for offshore wind that were granted in Biden ministration's Inflation Reduction Act. Those credits are an integral part of finances of many offshore wind projects.
Stern, who les New Jersey anti-offshore wind group Save LBI, said Trump also could issue executive orders prohibiting furr offshore leases and rescinding approval for ones alrey approved while pushing Congress to amend federal laws granting more protection for marine mammals.

president-elect also can appoint leers of ncies involved in offshore wind regulation who would be hostile to it or less supportive.
Opponents of offshore wind, many of m Republicans, were giddy following election, saying y fully expect Trump to put an end to industry.

"I believe this is a tipping point for offshore wind industry in America," said Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast NJ, one of most vocal groups opposing offshore wind on East Coast. "y have been given a glidepath by Democrat-run ministrations at federal and state level for many years. For this industry, (Tuesday's) results will bring hewinds far greater than y have faced previously."
But Tina Zappile, director of Hughes Center for Public Policy at New Jersey's Stockton University, ted that in 2018, Trump Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke voiced strong support for offshore wind. And even though president-elect has bashed techlogy, she predicted he won't just make it go away.

"Offshore wind might appear to be on chopping block — Trump's explicitly said this was something he'd fix on first day — but when ecomics of offshore wind are in alignment with his overall strategies of returning manufacturing to America and becoming energy-independent, his ministration is likely to back away slowly from this claim," she said in an interview. "Offshore wind may be temporarily hampered, but its long-term prospects in U.S. are unlikely to be hurt."

Commercial fishermen in Maine said y hope Trump ministration will undo policies designed to help build and approve offshore wind projects, saying regulators attempted to "future-proof" industry against political change. Jerry Leeman, CEO of New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association, called on Trump to reverse a commitment to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

offshore wind industry is taking an optimistic stance, pledging to work with Trump his political allies. National and New Jersey wind industry groups, and several offshore wind developers including Atlantic Shores and Denmark-based Orsted, issued similarly worded statements highlighting terms likely to appeal to Republicans including job creation, ecomic development and national security.
"By combining strengths of all domestic energy resources, Trump ministration can vance an ecomy that is dynamic, secure, and clean," Jason Grumet, CEO of American Clean Power Association, said in a statement. "We are committed to working with Trump-Vance ministration and new Congress to continue this great American success story."

But few Republicans were in a welcoming mood following election. New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Kanitra listed major offshore wind companies in a Facebook post, saying, "It's time to pack your bags and get hell away from Jersey Shore, our marine life, fishing industry and beautiful beaches."

Kanitra said he was looking forward "to your stock prices tanking." And that was starting to happen.
stock prices of European offshore wind companies, many of which are planning or building projects on U.S. East Coast, plunged amid fears new ministration would seek to slow or end such projects. Orsted closed down nearly 14% on Wednesday and was down 11% over past five days. Turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems was down nearly 24% over that same period.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey Republican, hosted Trump at a rally earlier this year at which Trump again vowed to kill offshore wind.
"We are currently working out specifics of what that will look like once he takes office again this January," VanDrew said. “President Trump is a good friend of New Jersey, and he understands devastating impact se projects will have on our communities.”