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Interior Pauses Leases for Five East Coast Offshore Wind Projects on Security Grounds

The agency cites classified Pentagon findings on radar interference to justify a mitigation review with states and developers.

Overview

  • Leases for Vineyard Wind 1 in Massachusetts, Revolution Wind in Rhode Island and Connecticut, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind in New York, and Empire Wind 1 in New York were suspended effective immediately.
  • Interior set no end date for the pause, though Dominion said its Virginia project received a 90-day suspension order.
  • Officials pointed to radar “clutter” from turbine blades and towers identified in prior U.S. analyses, a rationale some former defense officials dispute as a mitigable issue.
  • The action comes two weeks after a federal judge struck down Trump’s broader permit ban, signaling likely new court fights over this targeted suspension.
  • Developers and states warned of threats to jobs, investment and expected power for more than 2.5 million customers, while shares of Ørsted and Dominion declined on the news.