THE ECONEWS REPORT: Is Offshore Wind Still on Humboldt’s Horizon?

Photo by Tom Wheeler

On Donald Trump’s first day in office, he signed an Executive Order directing all parts of the federal government to take steps to stop the development of offshore wind. This has left people wondering: What’s the future for offshore wind? Spoiler: it’s unclear.

Citing his executive order, on April 16, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a stop work order for Empire Wind, a fully-permitted wind project off New York. Included in the rationale for the stop work order is a discredited conspiracy theory that offshore wind development was responsible for a spate of whale deaths. (A claim that has been thoroughly debunked, although still commonly cited by anti-wind activists.) After the stop-work order was issued, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 17 other attorneys general filed a lawsuit to challenge the legality of Trump’s anti-wind executive order. Humboldt’s own EPIC, together with a coalition of other environmental organizations, has filed an amicus brief in the litigation against the Trump executive order, too. Approximately a month later, the Trump Administration lifted its stop-work order. Why? They won’t say.

But despite uncertain federal waters, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District and the State of California continue to move forward on work for other necessary infrastructure to develop offshore wind. The Humboldt Bay Harbor District is continuing to develop its “green port” for building and service wind turbines. And the California Independent Systems Operator has selected a developer to build new transmission lines to service the project.

Breaking down all of these events and more is Matt Simmons, Climate Attorney at EPIC.

Have a question about offshore wind? Visit northcoastoffshorewind.org, a product of EPIC, Humboldt Waterkeeper, Blue Lake Rancheria, and the Redwood CORE Hub at the Humboldt Area Foundation.

Listen to this episode here from the Lost Coast Outpost (where you can also read a transcript), Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Buzzsprout.

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The EcoNews Report is a weekly, half-hour environmental news/chat program broadcast on KHUM Community Radio (104.3-104.7 FM) every Saturday at 10 am PST. Hear from host and EPIC Executive Director Tom Wheeler and esteemed guests. Browse past shows from EPIC's archives, listen to or read transcripts on the Lost Coast Outpost, or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Buzzsprout.