The American Clean Power Association (ACP) released the following statement from ACP CEO Jason Grumet in response to President Trump’s Executive Order on offshore wind and onshore wind leasing and permitting:
“President Trump is correct that absent significant changes in energy policy, our nation will not be able to power our growth in manufacturing and achieve digital dominance that is key to national security while lowering consumer energy bills. ACP strongly supports President Trump’s effort to reform the permitting process to speed the development of all forms of domestic energy production. ACP member companies also look forward to creating hundreds of thousands of new U.S. jobs as we did during the first Trump Administration.
“ACP strongly opposes blanket measures to halt or impede development of domestic wind energy on federal lands and waters. The contradiction between the energy-focused Executive Orders is stark: while on one hand the Administration seeks to reduce bureaucracy and unleash energy production, on the other it increases bureaucratic barriers, undermining domestic energy development and harming American businesses and workers.
“The possibility that the federal government could seek to actively oppose energy production by American companies on private land is at odds with our nation’s character as well as our national interests.
“For too long, we have witnessed careening policy restrictions on the development of energy resources on our nation’s vast federal lands. Regardless of Administration, “some of the above” strategies are not good energy policy. No nation can achieve energy dominance absent consistent policy that moves beyond the idea that energy systems have partisan character.
“Wind power is an essential element of our ability to serve soaring electricity demand for manufacturing and data centers that are key to national security. It is also playing a growing role in our energy systems in red and blue states across the country. In fact, states voting for President Trump are eight of the top ten states in terms of reliance on wind power with many depending on wind for a significant share of their electricity use. Restricting wind development in these regions is certain to increase consumer energy bills. Wind development is also supporting more than 300,000 American jobs, many in construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and plant operations. Offshore wind is also helping to revitalize America’s supply chain, bringing back U.S. shipbuilding, and creating economic prosperity and jobs, with billions of dollars in new investment.
“While we clearly have work to do, ACP embraces the task of working with the Administration, providing insights and data to demonstrate that positive role that wind power is playing in our nation’s economic growth and security.”
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