Maine Republicans ask feds to cancel offshore wind leases

The GOP lawmakers said the projects pose a risk to Maine's $3.2 billion fishing industry and tens of thousands of jobs along coastal communities.

“Floating offshore wind remains too experimental, too costly, and too disruptive for the people of Maine to bear,” they wrote. "We are grateful for your leadership in protecting our coastal economy and energy independence and we stand ready to work with you to Make the Gulf of Maine Great Again."

In support of their request, the lawmakers cited the auction of federal lease rights to 444,000 acres to Avangrid Renewables and Invenergy NE Offshore Wind which "at the bargain-basement rate of just $50 per acre" was "far below prices seen for more mature fixed-bottom wind projects." The other four lease areas, totaling more than 1 million acres, have so far received no bids, they noted. 

"These projects remain economically unviable and technologically unproven with no power purchase agreements in place," they wrote. "The recent withdrawal of Diamond Offshore Wind from the Maine Research Array project has further stalled progress and left the platform without a viable path forward."

The push by Maine Republicans to scuttle the state's offshore wind plans comes weeks after the Trump administration canceled 12 offshore wind leases and funding to support the projects. 

Former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, aggressively pursued plans by the federal government to add at least 35 gigawatts of offshore wind in the U.S. by 2030, beginning with Vineyard Wind off the southern coast of Massachusetts. He argued that the plan will boost the nation's clean energy industry and create jobs.

But President Donald Trump, a Republican who took over the White House in January, has pushed for more reliance on natural gas and coal to meet the nation's energy needs, declared a national emergency, and rolled back regulations aimed at developing wind and solar power.

Maine's Attorney General Aaron Frey is among a group of Democratic attorneys general who are suing the Trump administration over its pause on offshore wind projects, alleging the move is "unlawful" and will cost jobs and threaten the environment. The state is also facing aggressive benchmarks to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by accelerating a shift to renewable energies.

But Maine Republicans argue the focus on offshore wind is bad for the state's energy consumers and its stored commercial fishing industry. 

“Maine already has some of the highest electricity rates in the nation," Paul said in a statement. "Pushing forward with costly, experimental offshore wind projects will only harm our economy and heritage."