Trump halts offshore wind: Will California pay the price?

January 22, 2025

Statement from the Sierra Club

On the first day of his presidency, Donald Trump announced he is halting development of all offshore wind projects across the United States. Right now, there are enough offshore wind projects in development in the United States to power more than six million homes once completed.

The order poses a risk to the future construction and operation of five existing federal leases in California, with projects near Morro Bay and Humboldt Bay. Delaying progress on these projects would impact the state’s clean energy transition plan, which includes generating 25 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2045.

By stopping ongoing projects, Trump has cancelled the 77,000 stable, high-paying jobs created by President Biden within the offshore wind sector. Additionally, offshore wind is a reliable source of energy that would lower energy bills for families, and drastically reduce toxic air and water pollution caused by dirty fossil fuels.

Donald Trump’s ban on offshore wind will take jobs away from hard-working Americans, raise monthly energy bills, hurt coastal communities, and expose people to more deadly pollution.

“Offshore wind is essential to California’s transition to responsible, clean energy,” said Julia Rose Manriquez Dowell, Sierra Club Senior Campaign Organizer. “Instead of prolonging our energy dependence on harmful methane gas plants—as Trump is doing now—we need to be building out ports and turbines, creating a clean energy economy along our coast that boosts jobs and the health of our communities.”

“By banning offshore wind, Trump is kneecapping a critical contributor to our grid,” said Xavier Boatright, Sierra Club Deputy Legislative Director for Clean Energy and Electrification. “Offshore wind is cheaper, safer, and more reliable than fossil fuels, yet Donald Trump has once again sold out the American people in order to boost profits for his buddies in the fossil fuel industry.

“As our country faces increasing energy demands and a worsening climate crisis, now is not the time to pump the brakes on offshore wind. We are ready to fight back against this callous decision that will raise prices for our communities, take away jobs, and worsen the state of our environment.”

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.