How Donald Trump Softening His Tone on Wind Could Unlock Permitting Reform

Nick Loris writes for The National Interest on how a softening of President Trump’s stance on offshore wind could open the door to long-needed permitting reform that would accelerate all forms of American energy development.

The Trump administration recently announced it would appeal court rulings that allowed offshore wind projects to proceed with construction. This follows the administration’s halt to construction on five projects last December for national security reasons, even though those projects had already received permits and are nearly complete. The crusade against offshore wind risks becoming a case of missing the forest for the trees. If the goal is true American energy dominance, the bigger task is fixing the broken permitting system that slows every form of American energy infrastructure. Most importantly, a process that provides efficiency, certainty, and rewards economic competitiveness will deliver the affordable, reliable energy consumers need and power America’s economic engine. The president should declare victory on his battle with offshore wind, let these projects move forward, and finish the job on permitting reform. 

The Error of Going Tit for Tat on Unilateral Action

The Trump administration’s actions on offshore wind are far from the first instance of unilateral executive overreach. Historically, executive action by Democratic administrations has stalled or shuttered projects, particularly natural resource development. President Barack Obama denied the Keystone XL Pipeline permit on extremely weak grounds. His Environmental Protection Agency revoked a permit for a coal mine that had already been issued and told another project developer in Alaska not to bother applying for a permit, issuing a preemptive veto. More recently, the administration canceled and restricted oil and gas leases on federal lands, revoked the Keystone XL Pipeline permit (again), and paused liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. The Biden administration’s North Star on energy policy was “net zero,” guided by taxpayer-funded carrots and costly regulatory sticks. 

Read the full piece in The National Interest here.