r/technology • u/Wagamaga • 2d ago

Energy Trump halts construction on nearly complete wind farm off Rhode Island

https://thepublicsradio.org/environment/trump-halts-construction-on-nearly-complete-wind-farm-off-rhode-island/
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u/Notgreygoddess 2d ago

So, private companies be warned; if your Dear Leader doesn’t like you, he can shut you down. So much freedom, eh?

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u/OrderlyPanic 2d ago

The action itself is illegal but Trump has realized you can just do things. If it costs tens of millions in legal fees and years of delay in court to prevail then that will ruin the economics of almost all renewable energy projects. This isn't a one off either, he's even gone so far as to instruct the FAA to scrutinize proposed wind farms on private land due height (previously a routine matter of informing the FAA so they can make where the wind turbines are).

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u/CaptOblivious 2d ago

The action itself is illegal

So what would happen if the State and the company the State contracted with just ignored trump's bullshit?

I'm guessing, nothing.

If everyone just ignores his illegal edicts, he has no power.

It's time to teach him where his power ends.

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u/Notgreygoddess 1d ago

Unfortunately, the waters are Federal.

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u/OrderlyPanic 2d ago edited 1d ago

They would be breaking the law and would get arrested.

EDIT:

The project had a valid permit from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. As the wind farm is 15 miles off shore and in Federal/US territorial waters, they need that permit to operate legally. They removed the permit on the basis of "national security", which is bullshit, but it's bullshit that the company will have to litigate in court. I don't understand why this is so hard for anyone to understand.

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u/ktappe 2d ago

What law would that be? They stopped this project on grounds of “national security“. That’s about as transparent a lie as you can possibly generate. They’re inside our territorial waters and are wind farms. Can’t harm national security. So, WTF law are you on about?

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u/RhoOfFeh 2d ago

Bullshit. There is no power of law in a dictatorial edict.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago edited 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/OrderlyPanic 2d ago

The wind farm is 15 miles off shore, it's in Federal waters. You need a permit to build anything out there. The operator's had a permit, the beurea rescinded it.

Pro tip: You are an asshole and I don't owe you shit. Go fuck yourself.

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u/ktappe 2d ago

No, he’s not an asshole. You are.

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u/LostMyKarmaElSegundo 1d ago

US territorial waters only extend to 12 miles offshore. Then you're in the Exclusive Economic Zone. I'm not sure of the extent of the federal government's powers in the EEZ.