Hours into his new term, President Donald Trump hit the pause button on American wind power development, fulfilling a commitment he made after railing against wind energy on the campaign trail.
The move may hobble Maine’s plan to meet ambitious clean electricity targets.
Trump’s executive order puts a stop to federal leases for ocean wind power. And it suspends permitting and funding for offshore and land-based turbines until federal agencies review the environmental and economic impacts of wind projects.
The temporary halt to new wind power was made in light "of various alleged legal deficiencies underlying the federal government's leasing and permitting of onshore and offshore wind projects" along with impacts to navigation, national security, wildlife and potentially inadequate environmental reviews, according to the order.
The move is a reversal of former President Joe Biden's administration, which promoted widespread development of offshore wind energy.
Trump's order could hinder development of Maine’s demonstration floating wind farm on a federal Gulf of Maine lease. And a suspension of federal permitting could impact a planned wind power project in Northern Maine.
And it might affect Maine’s long term energy plans. A goal of using 100% clean electricity by 2040 leans on building 3 gigawatts of offshore wind according to a recently released state energy plan.
Jack Shapiro, climate and clean energy director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine said the far reaching effects of the order aren’t clear yet. But he’s perplexed by the new administration’s opposition to an industry with the potential to lower energy prices, grow the state’s economy and reduce reliance on electricity made from fossil fuels.
"Right now we send billions of dollars out of state to pay for fuels. What if that money was reinvested in the state for energy made right here at home?" Shapiro said.
But Jacob Posik, director of legislative affairs at the Maine Policy Institute, a right-leaning think tank, said pumping the brakes on new offshore wind is a good idea.
The high cost of building ocean wind is passed onto consumers and raises electricity prices, according to Posik. Instead, he thinks the state should be focused on developing all forms of energy, including renewables, that can reduce costs and improve reliability.
"I think the problem is distorting the market to prop these certain forms of energy up when they wouldn’t otherwise be able to compete," he said.
Kyle Murray, with clean energy and climate nonprofit Acadia Center, said Trump’s order will allow permitted wind projects in Massachusetts and elsewhere to move ahead.
But if the administration maintains an anti-wind stance, it will likely challenge Maine’s plans, Murray added. And while he believes wind power is still viable, interrupting development may require New England states to redouble efforts in other areas to expand clean energy and lower greenhouse gas pollution, he said.
"We also need to focus on solar, energy efficiency, those types of things that can really help us meet our climate goals as well," Murray said.
The Maine Governor’s Energy Office said it is reviewing Trump’s executive orders, but it will be years before the planned floating research array is ready to apply for federal permits.
"Offshore wind remains important to addressing Maine’s energy challenges and the state remains committed to advancing responsible offshore wind, particularly through the research array," energy office director Dan Burgess said in a statement.
