Four Democratic governors — Kathy Hochul, Ned Lamont, Maura Healey and Dan McKee — have urged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to lift a suspension on five East Coast offshore wind leases, arguing the projects already passed extensive federal reviews. The Interior Department cited national security for the freeze, but the governors say no agency informed states of any new risk. They called the move a likely pretext tied to President Trump’s opposition to offshore wind. A federal judge recently rejected the administration's blanket halt on wind approvals.
Democratic Governors Urge Reversal Of Freeze On Five East Coast Offshore Wind Leases
FILE PHOTO: A drone view shows rotor blades and other parts for the ongoing construction of the Revolution Wind offshore wind turbine farm, staged on the State Pier in New London, Connecticut, U.S., September 23, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo
WASHINGTON, Dec 24 (Reuters) — Four Democratic governors have asked the U.S. Interior Department to lift its suspension of five offshore wind lease projects along the East Coast, pushing back against a national security rationale they say lacks prior notice or new evidence.
In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said the projects had already undergone extensive federal review, including assessments that addressed national security concerns.
The Department of the Interior announced on Monday that it had suspended the leases, citing national security issues. But the governors argued no federal agency — including the Pentagon — informed their states of any newly identified risk before the suspensions were announced.
“The sudden emergence of a new 'national security threat' appears to be less a legitimate, rational finding of fact and more a pretextual excuse to justify a predetermined outcome consistent with the President’s frequently stated personal opposition to offshore wind,” the governors wrote.
The Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the governors' letter.
The suspension is the latest setback for offshore wind developers, whose multi-billion-dollar projects have faced repeated disruptions under President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized wind turbines as unattractive and inefficient. Several federal agencies, including the Departments of the Interior and Commerce and the Environmental Protection Agency, are implementing a directive to pause new approvals for both onshore and offshore wind projects while leasing and permitting practices are reviewed.
Earlier this month, a federal judge rejected the administration's broad halt on all federal approvals for new wind energy projects — a separate judicial check on the sweeping suspension of wind permitting.
Why this matters: The dispute highlights tensions between state leaders seeking renewable energy development and federal actions that could delay timelines, investment and jobs tied to offshore wind. The governors are pressing for clarity on what, if any, new security findings prompted the abrupt suspension.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Alistair Bell)
