Disclosed communications detail discussions regarding the Empire Wind within the Interior Department
In a surprising turn of events, the Interior Department has issued stop work orders for two offshore wind construction projects, Empire Wind and Revolution Wind, citing national security interests.
The decision to halt construction on Empire Wind, a 54-turbine project off the coast of New York, was announced in April by President Donald Trump's administration. The move represented a significant setback for Equinor, costing the company over $200 million.
Similarly, last week, the Interior Department halted work on Revolution Wind, a project off Connecticut and Rhode Island. This decision follows Green Oceans, a leading offshore wind opponent in New England, sharing a 68-page report called "Cancelling Offshore Wind Leases" with the Interior Department. The report included detailed analyses of relevant laws and regulations and potential law violations for wind projects off the coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The administration's justification for taking this rare step was a report from NOAA, but the contents of the report have not been released. Erik Noble, NOAA's principal deputy assistant secretary for oceans and atmosphere, and Annie Hawkins, NOAA's top lawyer, were reportedly involved in the decision-making process.
Matthew Giacona, then deputy director at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), emailed officials at NOAA asking for their engagement and assistance in reviewing offshore wind leases and permits. This email chain included officials such as Annie Hawkins.
Annie Hawkins, a former fishing industry group opponent of coastal wind projects, joined NOAA as its top lawyer this spring. Interestingly, Michael Celia, who joined NOAA during the scrutiny of an offshore wind project off the coast of New York in spring, was previously long critical of offshore wind projects.
The Green Oceans report flagged potential issues related to national security. Matt Walker, a regional campaign manager at the Natural Resources Defense Council, called the administration's stop-work orders "reckless, rushed, and entirely unjustified."
Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum calling on him to halt the Empire Wind project. Steve Milloy, a conservative activist, wrote an opinion piece in the Daily Caller saying that Interior needed to stop construction of offshore wind projects to satisfy the intent of Trump's Day 1 executive order.
However, the orders also raised issues for other offshore wind developers like Γrsted. The person who joined NOAA during the scrutiny of an offshore wind project off the coast of New York in spring, having previously been long critical of offshore wind projects, is Michael Celia.
Despite numerous attempts, Elizabeth Knight, a co-founder of Green Oceans, could not be reached for comment.
The news of these stop work orders has sparked a heated debate, with some arguing for the need to prioritise national security, while others see it as a setback for the transition towards renewable energy. As more information about the NOAA report becomes available, the conversation is expected to continue.
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