The Trump administration’s efforts will undoubtedly make it harder for future administrations to gain the trust of offshore wind companies, which can spend billions of dollars and take nearly a decade to develop projects. But the unusual maneuver of revisiting federal permits could undermine all types of large infrastructure projects going forward, experts say.
“Whether it’s transmission lines, whether it’s offshore or onshore infrastructure, it can create vast uncertainty as to already approved and operational projects,” said Tony Irish, senior counsel at the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, who previously served as an Interior Department lawyer before leaving in 2025.