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Tonko says Trump's resistance to offshore wind is stifling economic development
Tonko said the administration’s $1.2 billion RWE buyout could undercut steel, port and union work tied to offshore wind projects.
U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko warned Thursday that the Trump administration's strategy of buying out offshore wind leases threatens New York jobs, with the government paying developers nearly $4 billion to terminate projects.
President Donald Trump's administration paid German energy company RWE more than $1.2 billion last week to abandon offshore wind projects, including a 2,000-megawatt wind farm south of Louisiana.
"It's an outright attempt to kill clean energy renewable projects," Tonko said, while advocates argue the sector could boost steel production and union leaders noted past projects generated significant worker funding.
Companies in the Capital Region with access to New York Harbor through the Hudson River could miss opportunities if development stalls, according to Eric Brugeman, business manager for Iron Workers Local 12.
Trump has opposed wind energy since at least 2006, citing concerns about coastal views; he recently stated, "We'll have hopefully no wind farms approved," as his administration continues restricting projects across the United States.
President Donald Trump's government has been working to paralyze the development of offshore wind farms since the end of last year, arguing that they pose a risk to the security of the United States.