On January 20, President Trump ordered a suspension of federal leases and offshore wind power plants. In mid-April, he stopped the construction of the Long Island coastal Imperial Wind installation, which was relieved to many in the local fishing and hospitality industry. [emphasis, links added]
He also ordered the lease and allowed review of all 11 offshore wind projects approved by Biden in the year.
Home Secretary Doug Burgum said the approval of the Imperial Style “is driven by the previous government without sufficient analysis or consultation among relevant agencies, related to the potential impact of the project.”
There are a lot to do. Offshore winds are at the heart of the Biden administration’s Mad Dash launch for “clean energy” and “net zero”.
The government's behavior seemed to be a shot – a limited window in which as many wind devices could be thrown away.
As it turns out, this is enough. But at the same time, the toes are stepping on their feet and they need to be cut open.
Along the coast of Imperial Wind is the South Fork Wind installation near Rhode Island. People at the Biden Marine Energy Administration (BOEM) do not completely like locals.
The Trust for Protecting the Public received a letter sent to Boem in November 2022 by a coalition of local townships, Indian tribes, historic conservation groups, and others. “We've never seen a dysfunctional process,” it said.
“Allowing comments has become absurd theater”.
As part of the licensing process, the Ministry of the Interior must comply with the National Historic Preservation Act to assess the impact of federal programs on historical heritage, including the cultural significance for Native Americans.
Boem officials told local lawyers they “have no time to comply with the National Historic Protection Act.”
Calls for compliance with the bill leave them nowhere to go. As the letter to Boem says, “Allowing comments has become absurd theater”.
Biden’s Boem team even managed to anger National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS), a sister federal agency responsible for assessing the significant impact of maritime construction on marine life and habitat.
The Fisheries Services complained that construction and operational plans were already provided for large wind energy projects four days before the start of construction, calling it an “unreasonable review and comment timetable”.
But the Boem team is anxious, not to let Nice, who allows his federal colleagues to do their work.
[…snip…]
Ironically It is also changing these rules for oil drilling in the bay [America] in a way that is destined to drive small independent producers from the market.
They pick winners and losers in the energy industry.
Now, we learn that it's not just a vineyard wind to win. In late spring 2024, the government finalized rules to expand the project’s sweetheart deal to all offshore wind installations. Just a few weeks later, one of the turbine blades of the Vineyard Wind failed.
Read the full post of Federalists
