New Jersey Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew has been tasked by incoming President Donald Trump to draft an executive order to temporarily halt offshore wind activities for six months, he revealed in a recent interview with New Jersey media.
Van Drew's staff have since forwarded a draft of the order to Trump's transition team, as well as incoming personnel at the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees offshore wind permitting. The congressman expects the executive order to be issued within the first few months of the new administration.
“I've spoken with the president about the wind turbines, and he told me to have my people draw up an executive order. We got it done in forty-eight hours,” Van Drew told NJ Spotlight.
Van Drew represents a New Jersey coastal constituency that has seen growing opposition to offshore wind projects, which has shaped the political discourse around this issue in the region.
The proposed executive order reflects ongoing debates over offshore wind development, particularly in areas where local communities have expressed concerns about the impact of wind turbine installations on the environment and the economy.
