President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week pausing offshore wind leasing and permitting in federal waters. Trump has stated that he wants to increase drilling for oil and gas over supporting renewable energy sources.
The proposed Morro Bay wind energy project is located in waters affected by the ban.
The order blocks new or renewed wind leases on the outer continental shelf. This temporary ban will stay in place until after federal agencies review how wind projects affect marine life and local economies.
Alan Alward is secretary of the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen's Organization and co-chair of the Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries. He said he’s glad the government is thoroughly assessing any potential consequences offshore wind could have.
“This is one area where the federal government has been leaping over the fence and rushing things at such a rate that we don't feel that we're getting a just process here,” Alward said.
Trump’s directive bans new leases, but existing ones– including those in Morro Bay– will just be reviewed. Federal agencies could cancel them if they find legal reasons to do so.
The three leaseholders for the Morro Bay Wind Energy projects– Equinor, Invenergy, and Golden State Wind– told KCBX they're still reviewing how the executive order might affect their projects.
Meanwhile, some clean energy advocates aren’t happy with the recent decision. The American Clean Power Association said the order unfairly targets a reliable energy source.
