A would-be energy official in Donald Trump’s government has accepted that cancelling permits for infrastructure projects send a “dangerous” message to developers.
Leslie Beyer, nominated as assistant secretary of the interior, lands and minerals management, agreed with Senator Angus King at a confirmation hearing yesterday that the administration’s decision to issue a stop order for Equinor’s 810MW Empire Wind projects off New York sends a negative signal.
King said the decision will have a “chilling effect” on developers of all energy projects and was an “extraordinary action”.
He questions what signal it sends about the reliability and certainty of the planning process and said to Beyer that he hopes she agrees that it sends a “dangerous message”.
Beyer agreed and said companies need certainty in permitting system so they can make financial investment decisions.
Equinor chief executive Anders Opedal yesterday described the US government’s order to halt work on the Empire Wind offshore wind farm as “unlawful”.
In the company’s first quarter results for 2025, Anders Opedal (pictured), president and chief executive of Equinor, said: “We have invested in Empire Wind after obtaining all necessary approvals, and the order to halt work now is unprecedented and in our view unlawful.
“This is a question of the rights and obligations granted under legally issued permits, and security of investments based on valid approvals.
“We seek to engage directly with the US Administration to clarify the matter and are considering our legal options.”