Oceantic Network has criticised new Department of the Interior directives that it claims impose unprecedented requirements on wind energy projects in the United States.
The measures, issued under Executive Order 14315, seek to end “preferential treatment” of wind energy, evaluate potential withdrawal of development areas, enhance stakeholder engagement, and review turbine impacts on migratory birds.
In a statement, Oceantic’s senior vice president of communications and external affairs Stephanie Francoeur (pictured) said: “The Department of Interior’s latest directives continue a false narrative on an established American industry that will prevent an important source of baseload power generation from reaching the grid when ratepayers are already feeling the effects of rising electricity prices.
“This will result in even higher energy costs, increased blackouts, job loss, and billions of dollars in stranded investments, further delaying shovel-ready projects supported by a domestic heavy manufacturing supply chain renaissance that spans 40 states.”
Francoeur added: “Crippling affordable and reliable wind energy makes no economic sense and undermines the administration’s ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy.
“We urge the Department to adopt policies which put all sources of American energy on an even playing field.”