In the face of opposition wind developers are proceeding with construction despite looming threats of cancellation.
By Joseph Ellard
Of all renewable energy sources, offshore wind is perhaps the most important. Already it shoulders 10% of the United States energy burden and is responsible for a reduction in millions of tons of carbon emissions annually. As offshore projects move forward, both the sector’s share of U.S. energy production and reciprocal reduction in carbon emissions will only increase. The growth of the wind energy industry is a crucial step in promoting the health of our planet and lowering energy costs throughout the country. But not everyone agrees.
The Trump administration’s negative opinion of renewable energy is no secret. Since inauguration day, the administration has taken several actions to delay or completely halt offshore wind development. As part of a presidential memorandum issued in January of this year President Trump ordered a withdrawal of wind energy leasing from the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The OCS is a federally controlled area along the coast of the U.S. that happens to be a key location in the development of new offshore projects. When this memorandum was executed it seemed like all momentum behind the offshore movement might be coming to a standstill. However, while federal support diminishes, public support grows.
With the recent federal activities and propaganda against wind projects, it is easy to think that the country has stopped trusting renewable energy. But polling has shown this assumption to be false. Take a study conducted by Hart Research Associates. The poll surveyed over 1,200 registered voters across Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, recording their opinions on multiple topics, including renewable energy and offshore wind. The findings speak for themselves.
In Massachusetts, 75% of respondents favor a move towards renewable energy, 69% believe it will positively impact jobs and the state economy, 71% believe it will positively impact climate change and 64% believe it will positively impact energy prices. In the other states surveyed, the story is the same: Citizens understand the importance of a thriving offshore wind industry.
However, the northeast is known for its support of clean energy. What about other states? A similar multistate poll was carried out by a Republican polling firm (Tarrance Group) that looked at data of over 4,800 participants from 11 states all over the country; some as far west as California and Texas. By comparing results collected in January to those received later in June, the study found that support for renewable energy and offshore wind is trending up across all participating states, regardless of political affiliation.
And it’s not just citizens that believe in renewables. State officials have begun fighting for their clean energy future. Attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C., are challenging an executive order President Trump signed during his first day in office, pausing approvals, permits and loans for all wind energy projects both onshore and offshore.
“This arbitrary and unnecessary directive threatens the loss of thousands of good-paying jobs and billions in investments, and it is delaying our transition away from the fossil fuels that harm our health and our planet,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the coalition, said in a statement. State governments across the country are justifiably upset. They have already poured in hundreds of millions of dollars collectively, developing projects that have created thousands of jobs, reduced pollution and worked to lower the cost of energy in America. By standing up for their investments, states have shown their commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future—one powered by innovation and resilience.
Despite having the support of both citizens and states, budget cuts and the pausing of permits by the Trump administration create the illusion of halted progress towards an expanded offshore energy grid. The reality – offshore wind might have too much momentum to be stopped. Some projects did buckle beneath the administration’s watchful eye, shutting down construction and canceling lease areas, but the vast majority of offshore projects are still in operation and are expected to provide millions of homes with electricity in the near future.
This idea is echoed by the recent reversal of a stop work order on the Empire Wind 1 project in New York. On April 16, 2025, Department of the Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum, directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to halt construction on the wind project. However, after the company emphasized the economic importance of the already 30% complete project, the Trump administration reversed the pause on its construction. This reversal marks a turning point in the fight for the offshore wind industry. And Empire Wind is not the only project still fighting.
After a devastating turbine malfunction shut down production, the Vineyard Wind 1 project (just South of Martha’s Vineyard) has very quietly resumed its construction. The wind farm is currently generating power from 10 of its 62 turbines and once construction is complete it will reduce carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tons per year, the equivalent of removing 325,000 vehicles from roadways.
The largest offshore wind project in the United States, is progressing on schedule. Dominion Energy off the coast of Virginia is in the process of constructing an incredible 172 turbines which would power 660,000 homes. This project has weathered constant attacks and setbacks by the Trump administration and seems to be too big of a project to stop. Already 78 monopile foundations and the first of three substations have been installed. The company’s CEO, Bob Blue, reported that Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind is “months away from first delivery of electricity to customers in early 2026.”
Two more New York projects are proceeding as planned. Sunrise Wind, off the coast of Montauk Port, will power nearly 600,000 homes with 100% renewable energy and has already created over 800 direct construction jobs. And, as of March 14, 2024, the South Fork Wind farm became fully operational and is now the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in U.S. federal waters to deliver power to the grid. Its 12 turbines are capable of powering 70,000 homes.
These offshore energy companies must stay quiet about their successes to avoid attracting unwanted attention from the current administration. But it is important for the public to know that wind energy is not going away. Behind the scenes, wind companies are working to make energy cleaner and more affordable for millions of Americans. Turbines will keep spinning, power will continue to generate and the Earth will get a little bit healthier.
Joseph Ellard is SAFE’s Summer Intern.