Incoming President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (pictured) has said that offshore wind projects in the US can continue if already approved.
Maine Senator Angus King asked Burgum at yesterday’s confirmation hearings to convince Trump that “wind power isn’t all bad”, as well as for a commitment to carry forward the Department of the Interior’s offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Maine and offshore wind projects that are already in progress.
Burgum replied: “I’m not familiar with every project that the Interior has under way, but I’ll certainly be taking a look at all of those and if they make sense and they’re already in law, then they’ll continue.”
Earlier in the week Trump posted on the Truth Social platform: “Windmills are an economic and environmental disaster.”
He added that he doesn’t “want even one built” during his administration.
Burgum did say that Trump was concerned about tax incentives for the renewable sector.
“I think the key is, and I think President Trump’s been very clear in his statements, that he’s concerned about the significant amount of tax incentives that have gone toward some forms of energy,” Burgum said.
The North Dakota Governor signalled a level of support for renewable energy broadly.
“If we can decarbonise traditional fuels cheaper than we can subsidise some of the renewables, then that should be looked at fairly and equitably and economically,” Burgum told Senators.
At the same time Burgum told Senators that the the US needs to shore up its “baseload” energy from fossil fuel sources, as opposed to the “intermittent” power from renewables.
Burgum also repeatedly reaffirmed his support for an “all of the above” approach to energy production.