[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 146 (Monday, September 8, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H3867-H3868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1220
HALT WORK ORDERS
(Mr. Courtney of Connecticut was recognized to address the House for
5 minutes.)
Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, on August 22, the Trump administration,
with absolutely no warning, issued a halt work order to an offshore
wind project off the coast of southern New England that has been in the
works for 9 years.
The developers of this project have invested close to $4 billion,
employed thousands of workers, and installed 45 out of 65 wind turbines
that the Federal Government permitted in 2023.
As of August 22, 80 percent of the project is complete, and 100
percent of the turbine foundations have been placed on the ocean floor.
When the turbines are turned on, 704 megawatts of power will be
transmitted by cable to Rhode Island and Connecticut. That is enough
electricity to power 350,000 homes--400 megawatts to Rhode Island and
304 megawatts to Connecticut.
The wind power contracts approved by both States at a guaranteed rate
will over time save money for ratepayers, particularly during cold,
winter months, and will add to the grid at a time we all know demand
for electricity is going to increase.
Incredibly, the Department of Energy's halt order was one-page long
and cited nonspecific, vague ``national security concerns'' as the
reason to suddenly eliminate good jobs and a plentiful supply of
affordable electricity.
Despite repeated requests from the operators, the two States, and the
congressional delegations, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, BOEM,
has provided absolutely no description or detail of what exactly are
the national security concerns that at this late hour could possibly
justify such a drastic action.
The closest thing to an explanation came in a CNN interview with the
Secretary of the Interior a few days ago, who cited ``radar
interference'' and possible swarm attacks from undersea drones at the
wind farm as potential threats.
Madam Speaker, here is the thing: During the yearslong permitting
process, BOEM meticulously investigated all national security concerns,
and its 2023 Record of Decision approving the project specifically had
a section on national security. It specifically addressed the issue of
radars which was resolved to the satisfaction of the Department of
Defense and NORAD.
[[Page H3868]]
Madam Speaker, I have a letter from the Department of Defense dated
December 2024, which states that the Department ``has found that
construction of the Revolution Wind project . . . would not have
adverse impacts to DOD missions in the area.'' I include this letter in
the Record.
Office of the Assistant
Secretary Of Defense,
Washington, DC, December 13, 2024.
Reference: Federal Aviation Administration Aeronautical Study
Number: 2021-WTE-2881-OE and 23 associated structures.
Ms. Whitney Marsh,
;rsted, Providence, RI.
Dear Ms. Marsh: Thank you for your participation in the
Mitigation Response Team to assess and overcome military
impacts from your proposed Revolution Wind project off the
coast of Squibnocket Beach in Chilmark, Massachusetts. In a
letter dated October 27, 2021, the Department of Defense
(DoD) described the potential impacts to military operations
for the project.
As a result of discussions between ;rsted and the U.S. Air
Force and a resulting mitigation agreement signed by the
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and
Environment on November 4, 2024, the Military Aviation and
Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse)
has found that construction of the Revolution Wind Wind
project, with no more than 65 wind turbines up to 873 feet
above sea level and no more than two offshore substations up
to 228 feet above sea level, would not have adverse impacts
to DoD missions in the area. The Clearinghouse has entered a
determination of ``No Objection with Provision'' for this
project via the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA)
Obstruction Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis system.
Our response to the FAA included a notification that
additional structure proposals or an increase to the current
maximum structure height may present an adverse impact. We
encourage you to engage DoD prior to any proposed expansion
or height increase.
If you have any concerns, please contact Ms. Robbin Beard,
Clearinghouse Deputy Director.
Sincerely,
Steven J. Sample,
Executive Director, Military Aviation and Installation
Assurance Siting Clearinghouse.
Mr. COURTNEY. Regarding the swarming undersea drones, Revolution Wind
has a contract with ThayerMahan, a maritime company that installs and
operates undersea surveillance technology using sonar rays and pickets
to keep watch and detect malign activity. They protect wind farms
today. They protect oil rigs today. They protect U.S. maritime ports
today with the finest technology.
Madam Speaker, Secretary Burgum and his staff at BOEM should review
its own prior investigation on national security and actually meet with
the developers and undersea experts in Connecticut and Rhode Island to
learn about the thorough, comprehensive investments and systems that
were developed with the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, the Department
of Defense, and the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure the safe,
reliable operation of the wind farms.
Madam Speaker, this halt work order needs to be overturned quickly.
As we heard on Friday, the U.S. labor market is weakening, and we know
the cost of electricity is going up.
Leaving Revolution Wind in limbo with thousands of jobs on the line
is completely unacceptable.
It is no secret that the President doesn't like wind power, but this
project has been permanent, paid for, and is 80 percent finished.
Leaving the halt work order in place is hurting working families and
electric ratepayers.
Lawsuits have been filed, and the U.S. Government and taxpayers are
going to pay dearly for this uncalled for about-face on a project that
the government approved 2 years ago.
The better path is to quickly lift the order, meet face-to-face with
the developer and the Governors of Rhode Island and Connecticut to end
this chaos and get the operating engineers, the longshoremen, the
laborers, and the electrical workers back on track to finish the job
that today is 80 percent finished.
That is not a partisan statement. That is simple common sense.
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