Oregon’s Offshore Wind Future in Doubt as Trump Freezes East Coast Projects Over “National Security”
The US Department of the Interior paused permits for five major offshore wind farms off the East Coast on Monday- freezing billions in investments- citing unspecified “national security risks” and vulnerabilities near population centers.
Source: US Department of the Interior offshore wind pause announcement / BOEM notes to stakeholders on wind energy areas / Oregon Department of Energy offshore wind study page
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This follows the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) announcement earlier this year rescinding all designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the US Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) on the West Coast.
Trump Halts East Coast Offshore Wind Projects Citing National Security
The Department of the Interior says it is “pausing – effective immediately – the leases for all large-scale offshore wind projects under construction” due to “national security risks” in classified reports, and listed these five projects:
- Vineyard Wind 1,
- Revolution Wind,
- CVOW-Commercial,
- Sunrise Wind,
- Empire Wind 1.
The department claims that unclassified reports have long found that the movement of massive turbine blades and the highly reflective towers create radar interference, known as “clutter.” This obscures legitimate moving targets and generates false targets in the vicinity of the wind projects.
| Project | Primary area | Capacity | Current action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineyard Wind 1 | Off Massachusetts | 800 MW | BOEM ordered 90 day suspension on Dec 22 2025 |
| Revolution Wind | Off Rhode Island | 704 MW | BOEM ordered 90 day suspension on Dec 22 2025 |
| CVOW Commercial | Off Virginia Beach | 2,600 MW | BOEM ordered 90 day suspension on Dec 22 2025 |
| Sunrise Wind | Off New York | 924 MW | BOEM ordered 90 day suspension on Dec 22 2025 |
| Empire Wind 1 | Off New York | 2,076 MW total project (phases) | BOEM ordered 90 day suspension on Dec 22 2025 |
The agency said the pause means it, with the Department of War and other relevant government agencies, can now work with leaseholders and state partners to assess the possibility of mitigating the national security risks posed by these projects.
Effect Of East Coast Pause On Oregon Offshore Wind Projects
Currently, Oregon is advancing its own offshore wind plans (e.g., proposed projects off Coos Bay and Brookings), aiming for 3+ GW by 2030 to meet clean energy goals.
Local developers, tribes, fishing communities, and environmental groups worry that the recent pause on the East Coast could lead to delays or scrutiny of West Coast leases, impacting jobs, port upgrades in coastal areas like Coos Bay, and the state’s push toward renewable energy amid high electricity demand and wildfire risks.
In a press release earlier this year, BOEM said it is “rescinding all designated Wind Energy Areas” and “de-designating over 3.5 million acres of unleased federal waters previously targeted for offshore wind development,” including Oregon, citing a Jan. 20, 2025, presidential memo temporarily withdrawing OCS areas from offshore wind leasing.
The same federal agencies- the Department of the Interior and BOEM- that paused East Coast offshore wind projects control offshore wind leasing nationwide. If they are willing to pause active East Coast leases for “national security,” Oregon’s offshore wind future in federal waters could be similarly slowed or blocked by the identical gatekeeper.