Trump Targets US Wind Permit, but Legal Experts See Slim Chances

The Trump administration has moved to revoke the federal permit for US Wind’s offshore wind farm, throwing one of the Eastern Shore’s most significant economic and energy projects into uncertainty. While the legal fight plays out, supporters emphasize what the project means here at home: jobs, lower bills, and new opportunities for the Shore.
US Wind’s planned investment of more than $1 billion would ripple through local economies. Thousands of well-paying jobs are tied to construction, operations, and supply chains, with work ranging from skilled trades to steel fabrication. The project’s turbines, located about 10 miles off Ocean City, are designed to generate enough clean energy to power more than 718,000 homes. Advocates argue that it will reduce reliance on fossil fuels, alleviate price pressures on families, and enhance Maryland’s grid reliability.
“This project is about jobs, affordability, and securing our energy future,” said Nancy Sopko, US Wind’s vice president of external affairs. She noted that the permits were issued after years of rigorous review and remain legally sound.
The Oceantic Network, a Baltimore-based nonprofit representing the offshore wind industry, underscored that the project will also support Maryland’s manufacturing base, pointing to the steel fabrication facility planned for Sparrows Point. “Once completed, the Maryland project and Sparrows Point steel will enhance our national security and economic freedom by directly supporting steel mill investments and bringing back important steel fabrication capabilities to America,” said Sam Salustro, the group’s senior vice president.
For Eastern Shore residents, the promise of steady work and lower electricity bills is a rare opportunity in a region often left behind in statewide economic growth. Shore Progress, a grassroots progressive organization, vowed to defend the project: “This fight will be won in the courtroom and in the General Assembly, with strong allies like Governor Moore, Lt. Governor Miller, and the members of the Maryland General Assembly standing with us.”
Gov. Wes Moore, who has made clean energy central to his administration’s agenda, has called attempts to cancel the project “utterly shortsighted.” He pointed to the looming demand for new electricity sources and warned that scrapping offshore wind would lead to higher utility rates across the state.
Often backed by oil and gas lobbyists and out-of-state tourism groups, opponents argue that the turbines could affect views or local fishing. However, similar claims have been unsuccessful in courts in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, where projects have proceeded despite high-profile challenges.
The Trump administration has tried to block offshore wind several times before, including New York’s Empire Wind and Massachusetts’s Vineyard Wind, but in each case, courts upheld the projects. Supporters believe the same outcome is likely here.
For now, the administration has until Sept. 12 to finalize its action. Until then, the future of a project poised to reshape the Shore’s economy and energy future remains tied up in the courts.
Jan Plotczyk spent 25 years as a survey and education statistician with the federal government, at the Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. She retired to Rock Hall.
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