The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced agreements that will end more offshore wind power projects after his attempts to freeze those projects unilaterally were stymied by the courts.
“President Trump is committed to unleashing affordable, reliable American energy for our country’s communities and putting the American people first through common-sense action,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a release. “The offshore wind leases were sold under the assumptions that taxpayers would indefinitely subsidize costly, unreliable projects and that no national security concerns were implicated - both assumptions have since been proven false."
On 17 June, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a settlement agreement with energy company Invenergy that will end the company’s USD 765 million (EUR 670 million) investment in four wind leases off the coast of New York, the coast of California, and in the Gulf of Maine. Instead, the company will redirect that investment into natural gas-fired power plants and geothermal power generation projects.
“Today marks a significant step in advancing President Trump’s energy agenda and lowering energy prices for Americans,” Department of Justice Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a release. “By ending these offshore wind leases and pivoting investment toward dependable natural gas infrastructure in multiple states, Invenergy is helping revitalize American energy and national security. The Department of Justice looks forward to continued cooperation from companies that are reevaluating their energy investments.”
The Invenergy deal follows similar deals announced in April with Bluepoint Wind, which was building an offshore wind farm off the coast of New Jersey and New York, and Golden State Wind, which was building an offshore wind farm off the coast of California. Under those deals, the company’s cancelled their offshore wind projects and agreed to invest in fossil fuel energy projects. In return, the government agreed to reimburse the companies for their offshore wind investments.
“Under President Trump, companies are shifting investment back toward dependable, secure energy infrastructure that can power our economy and lower utility costs. We applaud Invenergy for recognizing the importance of baseload power and investing in energy solutions that deliver real benefits to American consumers,” Burgum said.
The reimbursements are part of a new strategy for the Trump administration after his first effort to end offshore wind development was blocked by the courts. Upon taking office for his second term, Trump issued an executive order pausing federal approval of wind projects on the Outer Continental Shelf – a move supported by many in the commercial fishing sector. A Federal judge ultimately struck down that order in December 2025, calling the action unlawful. The administration followed up by declaring that the offshore wind farms needed to be paused for national security reasons, a claim that has also not faired well in the courts.
