Washington, D.C. — Turn Forward Executive Director Hillary Bright issued the following statement regarding the pausing of construction of offshore wind projects:
Each one of the offshore wind projects suspended today is fully permitted, nearly complete, and positioned to deliver much-needed power to regions already struggling to keep up with rising electricity demand. They also represent tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure investment that has employed thousands of workers to date. Pausing these projects creates significant risk to America’s energy-intensive economy.
America’s energy future must be shaped by an ‘everything-that-works’ approach that provides certainty for investors and protects our ability to meet rapidly growing power demand. Suspending legitimate permits approved after years of rigorous consultation with expert federal agencies—including the Department of War—does nothing to advance our country’s long-term economic or energy security.
Independent data and third-party research clearly shows that offshore wind is essential to meeting coastal electricity needs. The projects ‘paused’ today will help maintain grid reliability as coastal states face rising demand from data centers and electrification. The U.S. Government must move quickly to clear the way for these much-needed utility-scale sources of electricity and allow them to continue their path toward strengthening the resilience of our nation’s power system.