Trump administration to pay 2 more companies to walk away from US offshore wind leases

ABC NewsLiveVideoShowsShopInterest Successfully AddedWe'll notify you here with news aboutTurn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? OffOnStream onTrump administration to pay 2 more companies to walk away from US offshore wind leasesThe Trump administration has announced two more payouts for energy companies to walk away from U.S. offshore wind projects under developmentByJENNIFER MCDERMOTT Associated Press and MATTHEW DALY Associated PressApril 27, 2026, 4:45 PM1:52Interior Secretary Doug Burgum testifies during a Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 on Capitol Hill Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)The Associated PressWASHINGTON -- The Trump administration announced two more payouts Monday for energy companies to walk away from U.S. offshore wind projects under development.Bluepoint Wind and Golden State Wind have agreed to end their offshore wind leases in exchange for reimbursements totaling nearly $900 million. Both companies have decided not to pursue any new offshore wind projects in the United States, the Interior Department announced Monday. Bluepoint Wind is an offshore wind project in the early stages of development off the coasts of New Jersey and New York, while Golden State Wind is a floating offshore wind project proposed off California’s central coast. Interior said it's following the model of its recent deal with the French energy company TotalEnergies, which is getting a $1 billion payout to walk away from projects off the coasts of North Carolina and New York. TotalEnergies agreed in March to what’s essentially a refund of its leases, and will invest the money in fossil fuel projects instead.The deals come after the administration's efforts to block offshore wind have been thwarted by the courts. A federal judge vacated President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking wind energy projects in December, declaring it unlawful as she sided with state attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C., who challenged the order.Two weeks later, the administration ordered that construction stop on five major East Coast offshore wind projects, citing national security concerns. Developers and states sued, and federal judges allowed all five to resume construction, essentially concluding that the government didn’t show that the national security risk was so imminent that construction must halt.Environmental groups and Democrats have questioned the legality of the TotalEnergies deal and said it could be harmful to the U.S. economy and environment. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the administration for stopping Bluepoint Wind, calling it “a reckless decision that hurts working families and the economy” and will likely increase electricity prices in New York. “Once again, Donald Trump is attacking New York offshore wind at the behest of his fossil fuel donors with no justification,” he said in a statement Monday. Both Bluepoint and Golden State are co-owned by Ocean Winds, a joint venture of EDP Renewables and French energy giant Engie. Bluepoint's lease cost $765 million, while Golden State Wind will be eligible to recover approximately $120 million in lease fees, Interior said. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said companies were sold a product that was only viable when propped up by massive taxpayer subsidies when they…

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