The Donald Trump administration has immediately suspended the lease of five of the largest offshore wind farms along the US East Coast, citing classified risks identified by the Pentagon. This is reported by Associated Press, writes UNN.
Details
Strategic projects sanctioned by the White House include: Vineyard Wind (Massachusetts), Revolution Wind (Rhode Island/Connecticut), Coastal Virginia, as well as New York's Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind. This move came just two weeks after a federal court ruled Trump's previous attempts to block wind energy illegal.
Pentagon's Argument: Radar "Noise"
The US Department of the Interior claims that giant turbine blades create interference for radars, which can mask real targets or create false objects. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that a pause is necessary to assess vulnerabilities near densely populated areas.
Today's actions are aimed at addressing new national security risks, including the rapid development of hostile technologies
Clean energy advocates and military experts have already criticized this decision. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse called the administration's actions a "vindictive persecution" aimed at stopping the development of renewable energy sources in favor of traditional fuels. The reference to national security could significantly complicate further legal challenges to this decision for energy companies.