The Trump administration has blocked two permitted US wind energy projects, with agreements to pay millions in refunds to the developers if those funds are redirected into oil and gas. The move, announced by the Department of the Interior on Monday, was framed as a way to promote energy security and affordability by shifting support away from what officials called „intermittent, higher-cost energy sources” towards „proven conventional solutions”.
Under the agreements, Global Infrastructure Partners, a BlackRock subsidiary, will invest up to $765 million in a US liquefied natural gas facility. Separately, Golden State Wind could recover lease fees of up to $120 million provided an equal amount is invested in oil and gas assets or LNG projects on the Gulf coast. Both companies have agreed not to pursue new offshore wind projects in the US. The administration has made a similar payment of $1 billion to a French energy company to cancel another permitted wind project.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism. Representatives Jared Huffman and Jamie Raskin previously described such agreements as outrageous and unlawful. Sam Salustro of the pro-offshore wind group Oceanic Network said the administration was using taxpayer dollars to buy companies out of legally executed leases. The actions come despite a federal judge ruling earlier this year that allowed five east coast wind farms to proceed, overturning a presidential attempt to halt them.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the agreements would help ensure affordable, reliable energy and also addressed national security concerns, though he gave no details. The department has previously claimed that tall turbines could interfere with military radar. President Trump has long opposed wind power, calling it „worthless” in March and attempting in 2012 to block turbines near his Scottish golf course over concerns about the view. Those turbines now supply enough electricity for up to 80,000 homes.
The California project alone was expected to generate up to 2 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, enough to power roughly 1.1 million homes. The Department of the Interior did not respond to requests for comment on how the projects could threaten national security.
