OK, This Really Pisses Me Off

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Maybe the subject header is a little too much, but if you understand this situation, you should feel the same way.  This was an easy win-win for everybody - for the environment, for the future, for not screwing ourselves over just because...  industry had to take on risk of economic losses to make it happen, but other than that, this was an all around win...

Trump Halts Work on Major Offshore Wind Project

The Trump administration issued a stop work order to a major New York offshore wind project that was expected to provide enough electricity for 500,000 homes. The Empire Wind project had already received all of the necessary permits and had begun construction.

Trump Administration Halts Building of Giant Wind Farm Off N.Y. Coast

Gov. Kathy Hochul quickly responded that she would “fight this decision every step of the way.”

Trust me, the rest of the world is moving forward with wind farms, both onshore and offshore, so it makes absolutely no sense to make an arbitrary decision to favor coal over what the rest of the world sees as powering their future in a sustainable way for generations.

[Posthumane]

Is this the same wind farm that Trump claimed was killing/driving off the whales in the area even though construction hadn't started on it yet?

[Kris]

The coal rollers are gonna be first in line to be in Trump’s militias to start rounding up the enemies of the state, so you gotta keep them happy and engaged with shit like this while you are busy implementing fascism.

[Metalcat]

One of our provinces, the one run by a pro-Trumper, pulled this move last year, it seems to be part of a playbook.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7351877

[EscapeVelocity2020]

It's the kind of corruption that politicians can easily get away with.  Maybe one can be generous and say that the NIMBY crowd is behind some of the resistance to renewables, but the simple economics is that there is more immediate and ongoing profit to be had from consumers that pay for natural resources to be dug up and burned.  Trump talks about how the US should be energy dominant, but then turns around and shuts down investments in being a player in new, clean energy technologies?  This is simply taking money out of the pockets of future generations and leaving them with pollution.

[AuspiciousEight]

I mean - this doesn't really surprise me.

It seems like this administration is primarily fueled by ignorance and hatred, they've been pretty clear about what they hate during the elections, so it doesn't really surprise me that they would try and destroy everything they hate, including wind mills. 

The long term economic damage to our country and relationships will be pretty vast, but I'm honestly more concerned about the basic lack of respect, morality, and trust that people are losing in both our society and each other. The lack of trust and faith in the US and, at this point, the American citizens as well, since the majority of the voting population voted for this, will probably take much longer to repair and heal than a wind mill....

[GuitarStv]

You guys don't get the seven dimensional chess move that is taking place here.  The world has been warming, which is causing catastrophes.  Catastrophes even in Murka!  Trump is not just going to do nice things for the planet unless the planet isn't going to immediately thank him by ending climate change.  Until then, suck 'clean' coal stupid world.  As with tariffs, these actions can only lead to a better result . . . soon the planet will be phoning Trump to kiss his ass and beg for an end to the 'clean' coal pollution and Trump will consider it's offer.  This is just the art of the deal as performed by the master deal maker himself, and none of you fully understand his brilliance and genius.

[Just Joe]

Trump prob thinks clean coal just means rinsing it off with water before it is burned...

I'll take wind and solar any day vs the typical coal powered smoke stacks and coal ash field.

[mtnrider]

I share your outrage.  Maybe this is throwing a bone to the oil lobby, who are getting whacked by the low oil prices now?

[BNgarden]

One of our provinces, the one run by a pro-Trumper, pulled this move last year, it seems to be part of a playbook.

Impressions here are that the met coal is primarily a 20 / 30 year market, with great opportunities to grift / reach into taxpayers pocket for billionaires' trading of leases.  E.g. Gina Rinehart of Australia.  And we'll also be stiffed with Se in our (scarce and rapidly diminishing) agricultural water in the south of the province, and no way to clean it up (despite government saying it's remediable).  No population backing this, except a few coal miners from towns with a mining history, wanting the jobs it offers, and plenty of public opposition from 'salt of the earth' land owners / ranchers with pretty significant (but still insufficient) political power.

It's grift-o-rama, drill-baby-drill here in our province, all the way up the eastern slopes.  YAHOO!!!

[Weisass]

You guys don't get the seven dimensional chess move that is taking place here.  The world has been warming, which is causing catastrophes.  Catastrophes even in Murka!  Trump is not just going to do nice things for the planet unless the planet isn't going to immediately thank him by ending climate change.  Until then, suck 'clean' coal stupid world.  As with tariffs, these actions can only lead to a better result . . . soon the planet will be phoning Trump to kiss his ass and beg for an end to the 'clean' coal pollution and Trump will consider it's offer.  This is just the art of the deal as performed by the master deal maker himself, and none of you fully understand his brilliance and genius.

how sad is it that this is feels pretty spot on? The "What have you done for me lately" mentality about the freaking environment.

[Poundwise]

Yes, the amount of work and money spent to get to this point is incredible. And just scandalous that Trump would throw it all away out of spite! I just called Hochul to thank her and urge her to stand strong.

[Metalcat]

One of our provinces, the one run by a pro-Trumper, pulled this move last year, it seems to be part of a playbook.

Impressions here are that the met coal is primarily a 20 / 30 year market, with great opportunities to grift / reach into taxpayers pocket for billionaires' trading of leases.  E.g. Gina Rinehart of Australia.  And we'll also be stiffed with Se in our (scarce and rapidly diminishing) agricultural water in the south of the province, and no way to clean it up (despite government saying it's remediable).  No population backing this, except a few coal miners from towns with a mining history, wanting the jobs it offers, and plenty of public opposition from 'salt of the earth' land owners / ranchers with pretty significant (but still insufficient) political power.

It's grift-o-rama, drill-baby-drill here in our province, all the way up the eastern slopes.  YAHOO!!!

DH is at NRCAN working on emissions reduction policy and they just facepalmed themselves into concussions when this happened.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Yes, the amount of work and money spent to get to this point is incredible. And just scandalous that Trump would throw it all away out of spite! I just called Hochul to thank her and urge her to stand strong.

Basically, it's Big Coal throwing out every roadblock in the book and having a receptive Executive Branch.  If offshore wind farms are considered dangerous, how in the heck can we defend offshore drilling and oil and gas facilities that, by their own history, have environmental catastrophes from time to time.

The Oceantic Network, a trade group dedicated to growing the US offshore renewable energy industry and its supply chain, released a statement from Liz Burdock, its president and CEO: “Stopping work on the fully federally permitted Empire Wind 1 offshore project should send chills across all industries investing in and holding contracts with the United States Government. Preventing a permitted and financed energy project from moving forward sends a loud and clear message to all businesses – beyond those in the offshore wind industry – that their investment in the US is not safe. We urge the Department of Interior to lift this order immediately to restore a predictable and equitable environment for the buildout of critical energy resources that help secure our energy future and independence.”

Also, Trump apparently complains frequently about the offshore wind farm that is barely visible from his Aberdeen, Scotland golf course...
Trump firm 'refusing to pay' legal bill for windfarm case

Donald Trump’s family firm is refusing to accept a legal bill worth tens of thousands of pounds after he lost a lengthy court battle against a windfarm near his Aberdeenshire golf course, according to the Scottish government.

A Scottish court ruled in February this year the Trump Organization had to pay the Scottish government’s legal costs after his attempt to block an 11-turbine windfarm in Aberdeen Bay ended with defeat in the UK supreme court in 2015.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

And apparently this was only the beginning -

Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin behind proposed ban on Texas wind and solar projects, report says

Friedkin, who took over Gulf States Toyota and other investments from his father, pitches himself as a conservationist with projects in Texas and Africa. Gov. Greg Abbott and former Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Board after he made large campaign donations.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Well, after a month of delays at an estimated $50M per week (the specialized boats and thousands of construction workers were in the midst of executing installation), the Empire Wind Project is back on - Suspension order lifted for Empire Wind construction offshore New York

Once again, Trump has set something on fire then made sure everyone thanked him for eventually putting the fire out.