Posted on 04/19/2025 9:19:00 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
On Wednesday afternoon, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to halt construction on Equinor’s Empire Wind project off the New York coast. It’s a new frontier for President Donald Trump’s war on offshore wind, marking the first time his administration has attempted to shut down a fully permitted, in-construction project.
In a post on X, Burgum said the order will allow for “further review of information that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis.” Equinor had been planning the Empire Wind project for years, receiving its first site assessment approval from BOEM in 2018, during Trump’s first term. The Biden administration issued final approval for the project in November 2023.
When construction began just a few weeks ago, Equinor didn’t create a spectacle. The company didn’t issue a press release, hold a ribbon cutting, or even respond to multiple requests for comment from Canary Media’s Clare Fieseler. Hillary Bright, executive director of offshore wind advocacy group Turn Forward, offered an explanation to Canary: “It’s about not wanting to stick their heads up and drawing more attention, potentially, from the administration.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul immediately decried the Interior Department’s move as “federal overreach,” saying in a statement that she “will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.”
Like it is for other Northeast states, offshore wind is critical to New York’s renewable energy goals. The state aims to get 70% of its power from renewable sources by 2030.
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
The comment below is from the comment section of the website ManhattanContrarian.com.
"Figures are available for Texas wind energy on ERCOT's website; the turbines produced 38% of their installed capacity. So we paid for 100% of the installation, depreciation, tax credits etc, and got 38%. And then had to pay for a second system's 100% to provide the 62% the wind couldn't. Let's build some more wind farms. Maybe we can make it up on volume."
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul immediately decried the Interior Department’s move as “federal overreach,” saying in a statement that she “will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.”
The Irony Department could not be reached for comment.
The issue with the federal gov’t always has been, is now, and always will be THE CONSTITUTION which created the LIMITED federal gov’t and is the ONLY source of its valid and legal authority.
Unless the federal gov’t is unconstitutionally funding ERCOT, neither it nor Trump can constitutionally interfere with private enterprise unless he has some right regarding the offshore location.
Besides the economic weakness of Windfarms, it seems to me a Windfarm in a pretty heavily trafficked sea lane subject to regular Hurricanes is maybe not such a great idea?
And NYSRDA behind it make it even more of a boondoggle.
As always, follow the money-
FWIW - Equinor was an easy energy play a while back. ~25 to ~32 could roll and flip like clock work.
Unless the federal gov’t is unconstitutionally funding Equinor, neither it nor Trump can constitutionally interfere with private enterprise unless he has some constitutional right regarding the offshore location.
Every wind turbine in the world should be dynamited into the ground.
I couldn’t agree more!
NY’s “renewable energy goals” are unattainable, and this act by Equinor is in disregard of the government declaring a pause in all offshore wind construction pending a thorough review. They deserve to be slapped down for it.
It is a Carter EO that has been constantly renewed. If there is another sunset date, let it expire.
> The state aims to get 70% of its power from renewable sources by 2030. <
Since they’re completely making numbers up, why not say the state aims to get 120% of its power from renewable sources by next month?
That would sound even more impressive.
The Biden admin issued final approval for the Empire Wind project in Nov 2023....
now further review suggests Biden rushed his approval without sufficient analysis.
Biden rushed it through.....for a price.
Is there a wind farm anywhere on the planet that is totally “free enterprise”? I don’t know of one. Government grants, subsidies, loans, guarantees, etc. appear to be the core capital for all that I am familiar with.
The state aims to get 70% of its power from renewable sources by 2030.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They always use the doublespeak when talking about wind and solar. How about instead of calling it ‘renewable’, it only be referred to as IU power... intermittent/unreliable.
The Keystone XL pipeline and ANWR were private enterprises.......
The gov’t piles unconstitutional acts on top of unconstitutional acts.
What will it take for people to realize that the GREATEST THREAT to our lives, liberties, and free pursuits is none other that the $3+ trillion, 80%+ unconstitutional portion of the federal gov’t which size is DIRECTLY proportional to the size of less individual freedom?
LESS GOV’T, MORE FREEDOM AND MORE PROSPERITY!!!!!
The gov’t piles unconstitutional acts on top of unconstitutional acts.
What will it take for people to realize that the GREATEST THREAT to our lives, liberties, and free pursuits is none other that the $3+ trillion, 80%+ unconstitutional portion of the federal gov’t which size is DIRECTLY proportional to the size of less individual freedom?
LESS GOV’T, MORE FREEDOM AND MORE PROSPERITY!!!!!
Which will fail miserably.
I don't object to wind and solar at all. The problem is the technology just isn't there yet for governments to push through deadlines and unreasonable expectations for its productivity and use.
Wind and solar work in “niche” environments for “niche” uses and no other. World class stupid to think you can power a modern society off that.
What a loon. Did she decry "federal overreach" when the federal government effectively banned coal for making electricity?
She's a kook if she thinks so-called "green" energy is affordable. It's only affordable because 1) of massive federal subsidies and 2) the federal government stomped conventional energy sources out of existence.
New York's "energy future" is dismal, probably the second worst in the USA after California.
These nuclear power plants in New York State were shut down:
Indian Point was the most significant nuclear facility to close in New York, driven by safety concerns, environmental issues, economic factors, and political pressure, including from then-Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Shut down in 1989 before full commercial operation. The plant was completed but faced intense public and political opposition, leading to its closure after only brief low-power testing. It never entered full service.
Other nuclear facilities in the state, such as James A. FitzPatrick, R.E. Ginna, and Nine Mile Point, remain operational.
So NYS will make it up with Natural Gas generation?
| Period | Dependence Level | Key Trends | Electricity Generation | Policy & Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-2015 | Growing | 509,610 more households used gas for heat by 2014; 4th largest U.S. consumer | ~50% from gas/oil by 2015; 13% gas use increase in power plants | Fracking ban (2014); high import reliance; lower heating costs |
| 2015-2020 | Peak | 6th largest U.S. consumer; 60% of households used gas for heat | 46% from gas (2020); dominant fuel source | Rising methane & health concerns; Climate Act (2019) set net-zero goals |
| 2020-2025 | Declining | Gas bans in new buildings (2023); electrification push | 46% from gas (2023); renewables (22% hydro, solar, wind) growing | Gas ban effective 2026/2029; high electric costs, grid reliability issues |
The last coal-fired power plant in New York, the Cayuga Generating Station, was retired in 2019. Other plants, like those in Somerset and Tonawanda, either closed or converted to natural gas by 2020.
“Every wind turbine in the world should be dynamited into the ground”
The above is an ignorant statement. The ARE locations and circumstances where wind turbines are reasonable and economical.
Granted that nearly all large government funded or mandated wind turbines are hugely inefficient ,ugly,noisy,hazardous to wildlife ,and a waste of money.
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