A 9.5-megawatt floating wind turbine at the Kincardine Offshore Wind project, located off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland. | Photo: Principle Power

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UPDATE: The office of North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman issued the following press release in response to Trump’s decision to kill funding for offshore wind projects:

Today, Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) released the following statement on the Trump administration’s latest attack on clean energy: 

“This is a new level of idiocracy, where the Trump administration is trying to destroy an entire sector of clean energy, kill thousands of good paying jobs, and drive up electricity prices for American consumers. 

“Surrendering the future to China by dragging America back to dirty, climate-wrecking fossil fuel dependency while most of the world is moving on to safer, cleaner, and cheaper clean energy, is reckless, corrupt, and profoundly against our national interests.

“The Humboldt project in my district shows what’s possible when we put people over polluters. For a small, rural community, it means jobs, affordable and clean power for millions, and Tribes getting a seat at the table and share of the benefits. But Trump has decided that keeping Big Oil happy matters more than lowering costs, creating jobs, or securing America’s energy future. 

“Democrats are fighting for jobs, affordable power, and a clean energy future. Trump is fighting for corrupt oil executives who bankrolled his campaign, and that damage is going to be felt for generations.” 

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Original post:

Press release from the U.S. Department of Transportation: 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy withdrew or terminated a total of $679 million in funding for 12 doomed offshore wind projects across America. This action will ensure federal dollars are prioritized towards restoring America’s maritime dominance and preventing waste. 

“Wasteful, wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalizing America’s maritime industry,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg bent over backwards to use transportation dollars for their Green New Scam agenda while ignoring the dire needs of our shipbuilding industry. Thanks to President Trump, we are prioritizing real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little.”  

The Trump Administration has refocused the Department of Transportation (USDOT) and its Maritime Administration (MARAD) on rebuilding America’s shipbuilding capacity, unleashing more reliable, traditional forms of energy, and utilizing the nation’s bountiful natural resources to unleash American energy. 

Where possible, funding from these projects will be recompeted to address critical port upgrades and other core infrastructure needs of the United States.

Additional Information:

As part of the Department of Transportation’s review of all discretionary grant programs with obligated and unobligated projects, USDOT identified 12 offshore wind grants and project selections that were not aligned with the goals and priorities of the administration.

USDOT has withdrawn one project in the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program, resulting in a total retraction of roughly $427 million. MARAD has withdrawn six projects and terminated five within its Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), resulting in a total retraction of $177 million and roughly $75 million, respectively. 

Withdrawn:

  • Sparrows Point Steel Marshalling Port Project (PIDP; $47,392,500)
  • Bridgeport Port Authority Operations and Maintenance Wind Port Project (PIDP;$10,530,000)
  • Wind Port at Paulsboro (PIDP; $20,494,025)
  • Arthur Kill Terminal (PIDP; $48,008,231)
  • Gateway Upgrades for Access, Resiliency & Development at the Port of Davisville Project (PIDP; $11,250,000)
  • Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port (PIDP; $39,265,000)
  • Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind (INFRA; $426,719,810)

Terminated:

  • Redwood Marine Terminal Project Planning (PIDP; $8,672,986)
  • Salem Wind Port Project (PIDP; $33,835,953)
  • Lake Erie Renewable Energy Resilience Project (PIDP; $11,051,586)
  • Radio Island Rail Improvements in Support of Offshore Wind (PIDP; $1,679,604)
  • PMT Offshore Wind Development (PIDP; $20,000,000)

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