Terrel L. Shields
Elite Member
- Joined
- May 2, 2002
- Professional Status
- Certified General Appraiser
- State
- Arkansas
April 17 (Reuters) - The Trump administration's decision to halt construction of Equinor's (EQNR.OL), opens new tab Empire Wind 1 farm off the coast of New York late on Wednesday sent shockwaves through the offshore wind industry, raising concerns that fully-permitted developments representing billions in investment are not safe.
U.S. President Donald Trump had campaigned on a promise to end the offshore wind industry, arguing it is too expensive and hurts whales and birds. He issued an executive order suspending new leasing for such projects in federal waters on his first day in office.
I'm not a big fan of wind farms if for no other reason than aesthetics and the fact they are bird-chopping ecocrucifixes. Anyone who likes the wide-open plains has to be dismayed when looking across the high plains and seeing countless wind turbines generating electricity for cities hundreds of miles away. Visible not only in daylight, but the synchronized red blinking lights at night is also disturbingly visual. But to me, placing a wind farm offshore not only threatens wildlife and shore birds, but also has to be hazard to boats and ships beyond the mere aesthetic of blinking red lights and towers on permanent bases. Who's going to remove those structures at the end of their life? Or, will it be like the old oilwells from the 20s and 30s that were poorly plugged and now are becoming more and more commonly an environmental problem not anticipated 90 years ago?
