(Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Monday signaled an end to U.S. government support for wind power, saying wind mills are ugly, expensive and harm wildlife.
“We’re not going to do the wind thing,” Trump said during an event after his inauguration.
A White House press release earlier in the day said Trump intended to end new leasing for “massive wind farms.”
“President Trump’s energy policies will end leasing to massive wind farms that degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers,” it said.
The comments stirred concern among wind power representatives, who said Trump’s position jarred with his promise to maximize national energy output.
“A national energy emergency requires us to unleash all necessary sources of American energy – including offshore wind,” said Hillary Bright, Executive Director of offshore wind advocacy group Turn Forward.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden saw wind power as a vital part of his strategy to decarbonize the U.S. power sector to fight climate change and his government held multiple auctions aimed at developing big new projects.
Trump’s opposition to wind power represents an about-face from his first term, when his administration had also sought to encourage offshore wind development.
(Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Michael Perry)
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