Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, has accused the Trump administration of “slow-walking” offshore wind approvals with an eye toward helping natural gas suppliers.
The U.S. offshore wind industry, which is gearing up to deliver 25 gigawatts or so of capacity over the coming decade, is effectively on hold while the country’s first major project, the 800 megawatt Vineyard Wind off Massachusetts, awaits its final federal permits.
Last August the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) called for additional environmental reviews, delaying Vineyard and in effect the broader industry. BOEM has said it intends to issue a final decision in December.
