Hello Friend,
On December 22nd, the Trump Administration’s Department of the Interior announced it was “pausing” five wind farms, including Vineyard Wind, which has been producing power for over a year. The notice bucks a federal judge's ruling that Trump’s executive order to pursue wind farm developer permits issued under the Biden Administration was unlawful.
Surprising no one, all five projects are in blue states: Virginia, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts; and began their construction under Biden Administration permissions.
Trump has long made clear his dislike for offshore wind, repeatedly calling “offshore wind turbines ugly, costly and inefficient… [disparaging] the clean energy source ever since, 14 years ago, he failed to stop an offshore wind farm visible from one of his golf courses in Scotland.” (New York Times)
In Massachusetts, the almost-completed Vineyard Wind I has been online since January, and will ultimately be capable of producing power for over 200,000 homes and businesses. As our New England winters get colder and residents are seeing the cost of heating their homes increase, this is the time of year when the energy produced by offshore wind power is most critical.
Across the Commonwealth, our leaders have been clear: Donald Trump’s attack on wind energy is a direct assault on the wallets of Bay Staters. Offshore wind creates good-paying jobs, lowers energy costs, and strengthens our local economies.
Governor Maura Healey responded to the order by promising to “stand up against this unlawful action by the Trump Administration to protect Massachusetts’ ratepayers and workers. We are working closely with impacted states and developers to ensure the projects are completed and continue to provide affordable power to our communities.”
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey issued a joint statement, stating, “Earlier this month, the courts rightly threw out Trump's unlawful executive order and agency actions that attempted to ban offshore wind, so today’s groundless blind-side against the industry should not be allowed to stand. And as sitting lawmakers, we demand to see the classified reports the Trump administration is waving around to justify this bizarre attack on our grid.”
And Congressman Bill Keating doubled down on the economic impact, saying, “Donald Trump’s stop-work orders targeting offshore wind are yet another assault on providing sustainable, more affordable energy to the Commonwealth - and beyond utility bills, this is also an attack on the working people throughout Southeastern Massachusetts who took the leap to join the burgeoning offshore wind workforce and the local small businesses that support the industry. New Bedford didn’t become the national hub of the offshore wind industry by accident - it happened because leaders in the Commonwealth recognized the need for renewable energy, saw a path for the Commonwealth to lead, and took action, and our state is better for it.”
The truth is clear: Donald Trump is using his office to settle long-standing personal grievances, rather than serving the best interests of American residents.
