"Wasteful, wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalizing America's maritime industry," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg bent over backwards to use transportation dollars for their Green New Scam agenda while ignoring the dire needs of our shipbuilding industry. Thanks to President Trump, we are prioritizing real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little."
Among the cuts was $11.25 million in federal funding for "gateway upgrades for access, resiliency and development" at the Port of Davisville that was approved in November.
A project to support Rhode Island's offshore wind industry. Last week, Rhode Island's $4 billion offshore wind project was put on hold by the Trump administration.
Governor Dan McKee, the Rhode Island Congressional delegation, and the Laborers' International Union blasted the Trump administration's decision.
According to USDOT, "The Trump Administration has refocused the Department of Transportation (USDOT) and its Maritime Administration (MARAD) on rebuilding America's shipbuilding capacity, unleashing more reliable, traditional forms of energy, and utilizing the nation's bountiful natural resources to unleash American energy. "
Where possible, funding from these projects will be recompeted to address critical port upgrades and other core infrastructure needs of the United States.
As part of the Department of Transportation's review of all discretionary grant programs with obligated and unobligated projects, USDOT identified 12 offshore wind grants and project selections that were not aligned with the goals and priorities of the administration.
USDOT has withdrawn one project in the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program, resulting in a total retraction of roughly $427 million.
MARAD has withdrawn six projects and terminated five within its Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), resulting in a total retraction of $177 million and roughly $75 million, respectively.
Withdrawn
Sparrows Point Steel Marshalling Port Project (PIDP; $47,392,500)
Bridgeport Port Authority Operations and Maintenance Wind Port Project (PIDP;$10,530,000)
Wind Port at Paulsboro (PIDP; $20,494,025)
Arthur Kill Terminal (PIDP; $48,008,231)
Gateway Upgrades for Access, Resiliency & Development at the Port of Davisville Project (PIDP; $11,250,000)
Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port (PIDP; $39,265,000)
Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind (INFRA; $426,719,810)
Terminated
Redwood Marine Terminal Project Planning (PIDP; $8,672,986)
Salem Wind Port Project (PIDP; $33,835,953)
Lake Erie Renewable Energy Resilience Project (PIDP; $11,051,586)
Radio Island Rail Improvements in Support of Offshore Wind (PIDP; $1,679,604)
PMT Offshore Wind Development (PIDP; $20,000,000)