President Trump Halts Offshore Wind Energy Leasing and Permitting

U.S. President Donald Trump took action on Jan. 20 to temporarily withdraw areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from offshore wind energy leasing and review federal wind leasing and permitting practices. The action also stops federal agencies from issuing new or renewed approvals for offshore or onshore wind projects pending completion of a comprehensive assessment and review of the practices.

While the withdrawal does not affect existing wind energy leases, the Presidential memorandum calls for an extensive review of current leases to identify any legal bases for their removal or termination based on environmental or economic necessities, accompanied by a report with recommendations. Further, the order requires an assessment of the environmental impact and cost to surrounding communities of defunct and idle windmills and a report with findings and recommended authorities to require removal of such windmills.

The order also suspends the Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho, referencing the public criticism of the Record of Decision issued on Dec. 5, 2024, to advance the wind project by the Bureau of Land Management. The order directs the Secretary of the Interior to review the decision and conduct a comprehensive assessment of stakeholder interests relating to the project.

Earlier this month, the previous Biden administration issued an executive order to withdraw more than 625 million acres of the U.S. ocean from offshore drilling. The order prohibited future oil and natural gas leasing along major coastal regions of the Outer Continental Shelf. The ban attracted criticism from various stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, with concerns that the ban will hinder oil and gas production in the U.S.

Offshore wind development made significant advancements under the Biden administration, which set a nationwide goal to reach 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 15 GW of floating offshore wind by 2035. Last week, the U.S. Interior Department approved the construction plan for Ocean Wind’s proposed SouthCoast Wind Project, the 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy facility to secure approval from the department.