Former President Trump is widely remembered for his staunch opposition to offshore wind energy. He associated these eyesores with the spate of dead whales surfacing ashore and argued the heavy cost of the energy far outweighed any potential gain. The landscape blighting wind turbines only came into play after approval from the administration, bagging funds from the Inflation Reduction Act.
During the initial phase of his stint as President, Trump immediately put a spanner in the works by issuing an executive order to halt any further development of offshore wind energy for scrutinization. This move was lauded by genuine environmentalists and presented a beacon of hope for the survival of imperiled marine animals such as whales, dolphins, porpoises, and seals.
Trump’s public outbursts against offshore wind energy projects are well-known. Those at the helm of these activities, such as the Secretary of Interior, Doug Burgum, who’s responsible for granting leases and permits for offshore wind projects, appear to have grasped the essence of his argument. Unfortunately, their Department is yet to take significant final measures.
Surprisingly, despite opposition, up to four of the nine East Coast offshore wind projects greenlighted by the administration could begin their groundwork on or around May 1. Weather could impact the timeline, however. Some of these ventures constitute the largest U.S. offshore wind projects to date. Notably, these include Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind and Orsted’s Revolution Wind off the coastlines of Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Other noteworthy ventures comprise Equinor’s Empire Wind 1, located off New York City’s coast, and another Denmark-based project, Vineyard Wind 1, situated off Massachusetts’s coast. The success of these projects, despite the executive order issued by Trump, demonstrates Secretary Burgum’s significant legal power to halt leases and permits besides closely reviewing each project.
The agreements between the Department of Interior and offshore wind developers allow the Department to alter permit conditions or pile on more regulations as sanctioned by law. There have been serious issues related to offshore wind projects that seem to have been overlooked. Several aspects of these projects have maturely been sidelined, including potential impact on commercial navigation, naval activities, commercial and leisure fishing.
Furthermore, a thorough analysis of the cumulative impact on protected marine mammals, like the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale, seems to have been ignored. As per researchers studying right whales, the population of this species has dangerously dwindled to roughly 400 remaining whales in the wild.
Interestingly, the administration, seeking an excuse to target Maine’s lobster industry, leaned on the infrequent and coincidental entanglement of right whales in lobster gear. The administration, however, didn’t blink an eye before granting carte blanche to the offshore wind industry. The authorized permission shockingly allows them to harass, or worse, kill double the existing population of right whales.
Taking the plight of the whales into account, ongoing legal proceedings are underway between a non-profit organization, the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), and the Heartland Institute against Dominion Energy’s project. However, by twisting the complicated federal litigation process to its advantage, the company is trying to initiate construction before any unfavorable judicial decision comes into effect.
If construction begins, judges might be hesitant to stop a project midway due to the already sunk costs. The sinking of costs into a partially built project makes it more challenging to halt, even if it poses a potential threat to the environment.
Trump’s election campaign was invigorated by his promise to save the whales, and the subsequent population, from the damaging impact of offshore wind energy projects. He followed through with an executive order. However, simply ordering agency staff and awaiting execution of directives might not be enough; someone must ensure their proper execution.
It’s clear that the actions of those in power can have severe consequences for our environment. While attempts to develop economy-boosting projects should be celebrated, they must be tempered with a strong consideration for the potential ecological impact. Long-term damage to marine ecosystems due to hastily approved and poorly monitored offshore wind projects will ultimately be a loss to us all.
The fight against offshore wind, as demonstrated by Trump and his executive order, shows the importance of decisiveness and execution. Projects may promise short-term economic benefits, but the long-term ecological damage could far outweigh these gains. The tale serves as a stern reminder for future administrations to consider the wider implications of their decisions on the environment and its inhabitants.