Transportation Department wind farm funding cuts to save $679M
The money will instead be shifted to the American shipbuilding industry, a move that will help ensure America's maritime dominance, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement.
"Wasteful wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalizing America's maritime industry," Duffy said in the statement.
The Department of Transportation said it has now 12 offshore wind projects or grants that are "not aligned" with the Trump administration's goals and priorities.
It provided a list of five project that are being terminated, the most expensive of which is the Salem Wind Port Project off-shore of Massachusetts with a cost of $33.8 million.
The department also listed another seven projects for which funding will be withdrawn. The Humboldt Wind Energy area in California is by far the most expensive, with a $426.7 million price tag.
"Where possible, funding from these projects will be recompeted to address critical port upgrades and other core infrastructure needs of the United States," the Transportation Department statement reads.
President Donald Trump has taken aim at the wind power industry since returning to office for a second term.
Trump cited national security concerns while ordering Danish wind developer Orsted to cease work on its offshore wind project earlier in August. The nearly-completed, $1.5 billion wind farm would have provided electrical power to Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Trump has also previously said increasing American shipbuilding capacity is a priority.
"Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg bent over backwards to use transportation dollars for their Green New Scam agenda while ignoring the dire needs of our shipbuilding industry. Thanks to President Trump, we are prioritizing real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little," Duffy said in the statement.
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