President Trump Orders Temporary Withdrawal of Offshore Areas from Wind Leasing

News release from Saving Seafood, Jan 21, 2025

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) -- January 20, 2025 -- In an order signed in the Oval Office this evening, President Donald J. Trump issued a memorandum to the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency directing the temporary withdrawal of all areas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from wind energy leasing and calling for a comprehensive review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices.

The memorandum, “Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects”, is effective tomorrow, January 21, 2025, and includes the following directives:

Temporary Withdrawal of Areas

All areas of the OCS are withdrawn from wind energy leasing under the authority of Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. This withdrawal applies to new or renewed wind energy leases and remains in effect until the memorandum is revoked. Existing leases are not immediately affected but will be reviewed for potential amendment or termination.

Review of Federal Leasing and Permitting Practices

Federal agencies are directed to halt the issuance of new or renewed approvals, permits, leases, loans, or rights-of-way for wind projects. A comprehensive review will be conducted to assess the environmental, economic, and legal impacts of wind energy projects, including effects on wildlife, electricity generation costs, and subsidies.

Moratorium on Lava Ridge Wind Project Activities

The Secretary of the Interior is instructed to impose a temporary moratorium on all activities related to the Lava Ridge Wind Project. The memorandum highlights alleged legal deficiencies in the Record of Decision issued by the Bureau of Land Management in December 2024 and calls for a new analysis of the project's impacts.

Assessment of Defunct Windmills

Agencies are tasked with evaluating the environmental and economic effects of defunct or idle windmills and recommending measures for their removal.

Litigation Considerations

The Attorney General is authorized to notify courts of the memorandum and request stays or delays in litigation related to federal wind leasing and permitting, as necessary.

The memorandum will be published in the Federal Register.

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