Trump ‘Effectively Halts’ All U.S. Offshore Wind Development Despite Booming Power Demand

Trump ‘Effectively Halts’ All U.S. Offshore Wind Development Despite Booming Power Demand
December 20, 2025
Reading time: 3 minutes

Full Story: Grist
Author: Tik Root









NREL/flickr



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The U.S. Department of Interior abruptly paused the leases for five of the nation’s largest proposed offshore wind projects on Monday, effectively halting all ongoing offshore wind development in the United States.

The five leases paused under the order are Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, CVOW, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind. They stretch across coastal waters from Massachusetts to Virginia, and were expected to create hundreds of new jobs. The New York Times said the projects are worth US$25 billion and will deliver enough power generation to serve 2.5 million homes and businesses. The order leaves the U.S. with just two operational offshore wind farms, one off the coast of Rhode Island and the other in the waters of New York, the Times noted.

The moves come as electricity demand in the U.S. is growing for the first time in years, driven in large part by the data centres needed to fuel the artificial intelligence boom. The Biden administration issued the leases to help meet that demand and as part of its goal of shifting the country away from fossil fuels, toward more renewable energy sources.

“This so-called ‘pause’ on offshore wind makes no sense and is an escalation of the administration’s ongoing, baseless attacks on clean energy,” Pasha Feinberg, offshore wind strategist at the U.S. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), said in a statement. “In its ongoing effort to prop up waning fossil fuels interests the administration is taking wilder and wilder swings at the clean energy projects this economy needs.”

In a release announcing the pauses, Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum cited “national security risks,” including technological vulnerability and the proximity of the projects to the East Coast. The department also said unclassified government reports “have long found” that offshore wind projects create radar interference called “clutter.” The clutter, it said, obscures legitimate moving targets and generates false targets in the vicinity of the wind projects.

“Turbines can interfere with radar— this is absolutely nothing new,” Feinberg told Grist in an email. “All developers are required to work with [the U.S. Department of Defense] during design and construction to evaluate potential impacts and avoid or mitigate them”

U.S. national security expert Kirk Lippold, former commander of the USS Cole, told the Associated Press, records show the defense department “was consulted at every stage of the permitting process.” He said the projects would actually be a boon to national security because they would diversify the country’s energy supply. Experts say more wind production would also benefit customers.

 

McDonald’s is facing a lawsuit over its McRib

Niv Bavarsky

What exactly is in a McRib? The question you’ve been too afraid to ask for fear of the answer is at the center of a class-action lawsuit filed against McDonald’s. The plaintiffs are accusing the fast-food giant of deceiving the public about the contents of its cult-favorite sandwich. Much like your one ex, the McRib comes into and out of your life with no notice and disappears for long stretches. It returned in a limited capacity in November and, perhaps like that same ex should, it is now facing scrutiny: The federal case, filed in Illinois last month, alleges that the McRib contains lower-grade pork products like heart, tripe, and scalded stomach formed into a rib-shaped patty—but no actual rib meat. The suit alleges that using “rib” in the name allows the restaurant to charge a premium price—as much as $7.99, per McRib Locator—for a non-premium product, creating “millions of dollars in consumer harm.” McDonald’s told news outlets that the lawsuit “distorts the facts,” and that there are no hearts, tripe, or scalded stomach in the McRib. What’s next? The four plaintiffs are seeking class certification for anyone who bought the sandwich over the past four years, along with damages and restitution “to prevent further deceptive advertising practices.”

Doge improperly shared sensitive social security data, DoJ court filing reveals | The Guardian

Doge improperly shared sensitive social security data, DoJ court filing reveals | Trump administration | The Guardian

After months of denials, the Trump administration has acknowledged in a federal court filing that employees working for Elon Musk’s supposed cost-cutting operation accessed and improperly shared Americans’ sensitive social security data.

The justice department court filing, submitted on Friday in an ongoing lawsuit, reveals that a member of the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) signed a secret data-sharing agreement with an unidentified political advocacy group whose stated aim was to find evidence of voter fraud and overturn election results in certain states.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) told the court it had no prior knowledge of the March agreement and only discovered it during an unrelated review in November. The agency has referred two potential violations of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity, to the Office of Special Counsel for investigation.

Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses paused

 UK techies hoping to ask their glasses what to make with leftover beans and bread will have to resort to institutional knowledge for now. Meta said yesterday in a blog post that it’s pausing the international rollout of its Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses to focus on fulfilling orders in the US amid massive popularity and limited inventory.

Meta said it’s received “an overwhelming amount of interest” in the specs that put a computer on your face without it actually looking like there’s a computer on your face.

The company released the Display glasses with Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica last fall to relatively positive reviews, offering a counterpoint to the historically flop-filled category of AI wearables and smart glasses. EssilorLuxottica credited its record Q3 sales last year partly to the success of the glasses, boasting a 11.7% YoY revenue increase, to $8.1 billion:

• The newest version of the glasses costs $799 and, in addition to an upgraded camera, it has built-in AI features and comes with a wristband to help answer calls and texts.
• Meta is also rolling out a teleprompter feature that can display text notes.
  
  
  

Sail Canada 2026 Youth Fest in Kingston

Sail Canada 2026 Youth Fest in Kingston

Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors · 14 days ago
by Assoc Editor · Dock Talk


Sail Canada announced that Youth Fest, a sailing event focusing on training and development now extended to U21 sailors, will make its return, August 11-15, 2026, in Kingston. 2026 Youth Fest is hosted by CORK/Sail Kingston and CORK International. The 5-day event is focused on participation, training, and development. The event includes Club 420, 29er, and ILCA 4, 6 and 7 classes. Sailors and coaches will benefit from training opportunities while receiving support from Canada's top sailing coaches and officials. The Notice of Race and registration will be available in the new year. – Full story

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There are five official entries for the 38th America’s Cup

Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors · 2 days agoby Editor · Feature


There are five official entries for the 38th America’s Cup, with a massive omission among the field field. Five countries are represented, and none of them are the United States of America. If no USA team participates, it will be the first time in the event’s 175-year history.

Riptide Racing hopes to change that, and has until the late deadline of January 31, 2026 to secure sufficient funding. The team has set a fundraising goal of $50 million dollars for their first challenge, with $30 million needed to meet the entry deadline.

Team founder Chris Poole initiated his effort to enter following the announcement by American Magic (USA) that they would not compete in the 38th edition of the America’s Cup.

Details: https://www.americascup.com/

Defender New Zealand and Challenger of Record from Great Britain confirmed the Protocol for the 38th America’s Cup on August 12, 2025. The close of the initial entry period was October 31, 2025, with late entries considered up to January 31, 2026. If no USA team participates in the 38th America’s Cup, it will be the first time in the event’s 175-year history.

Current entrants:
• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) – Defender
• Athena Racing (GBR) – Challenger of Record
• Luna Rossa (ITA) – Challenger
• Tudor Team Alinghi (SUI) – Challenger
• K-Challenge (FRA) – Challenger

After the 2024 event, Barcelona, Spain declined hosting another edition, with the venue moved to Naples, Italy. Racing will be in the spring and summer of 2027.