For over a decade now, the Surfrider Foundation has been closely monitoring the environmental and recreational impacts from the nascent U.S. offshore wind industry. We have consistently called for close monitoring of possible impacts from the industry, while sharing scientific and factual information to our members and the public. We recognize that offshore wind projects will have some amount of negative impacts, but these must be weighed against the threats from climate change to our coasts and ocean.
Unfortunately, the Trump administration is taking actions to cripple the renewable energy industry, including the offshore wind industry, as it simultaneously fast-tracks oil and gas projects across the country. Rather than employing a balanced and precautionary approach as advocated by Surfrider, the administration seems intent on cutting the industry off at the knees. Hanging in the balance is not only the future of this developing industry, but also our nation’s efforts to meaningfully address climate change.
The Administration has effectively shut down the federal offshore wind project approval process run by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), leaving any project not under construction functionally paused. In July 2025, BOEM announced it was rescinding all Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) — which are used for planning and siting of future offshore wind projects — in U.S. federal waters. The Department of Transportation also withdrew $679 million in offshore wind grants, much of which was slated to fund critical port infrastructure improvements.
In August the administration took its attacks to a new level. Without offering any clear rationale, government officials halted construction at Revolution Wind, a large and mostly complete wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island. It is unclear if or when it will be given the permission to proceed with construction. Pausing projects can lead to abandonment of their completion by industry, as idled boats and workers are not financially sustainable.
This situation is remarkably different from just a few years ago, when about 20 projects were moving through the rigorous federal and state approval processes along the East Coast. Starting in 2023, some of those projects hit financial roadblocks stemming from inflation and supply chain issues tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, and were abandoned before construction began.
Currently, the U.S. has one fully operating commercial scale project, South Fork Wind, which has been delivering power to New York since 2024. Additionally, there is plus the smaller Block Island Wind project, operating since 2016. So far, despite close monitoring, no significant environmental issues have emerged with these two projects.
Nationally, the East Coast remains the epicenter of offshore wind industry activity (for now). There are a handful of commercial scale projects under construction there: Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (VA), Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind (NY), Revolution Wind (RI/CT), and Vineyard Wind (MA). Proposed projects on the West Coast, Gulf, Great Lakes, and Hawaiʻi remain stalled or are in the "leasing and pre-construction analysis" phases. No other projects are currently moving forward.
While offshore wind power is a complex issue for those of us who love the ocean, Surfrider is proud of our efforts to ensure that these projects do not harm recreation or ocean ecosystems. With our renewable ocean energy policy as a guide, our chapters and staff will continue to push for "best practices" to help avoid or minimize negative impacts to the environment and communities. In doing so, we can support a much-needed alternative to fossil fuel energy projects that are endangering our planet through carbon pollution emissions.