Rhode Island Offshore Wind Farms Advance Despite Trump Offshore Wind Freeze

Offshore wind farms are advancing off Rhode Island's coast despite President Trump's efforts this year to halt new federal offshore wind projects, developers and state officials say. Offshore wind farms are being built nearshore, and local leaders warn halting them would cost jobs and slow clean energy gains.

Project leaders and state officials say crews remain at work and contracts are moving forward even as the White House pushes to block new leases and permits. The companies and elected officials describe the work as an on-the-water reality that federal delays have not yet stopped.

The episode traces back to a federal push to freeze new offshore wind leasing, which put Washington at odds with coastal states that have prioritized wind to cut emissions and spur coastal jobs. That clash has produced legal and political fights, but Rhode Island projects were already permitted and financed under state deals before the federal action.

For now, construction progress and state backing keep turbines rising while the national debate continues. Observers say the outcome will shape how fast the nation converts federal waters into a new source of renewable energy. ABC News