Trump energy official concedes Empire Wind halt was ‘dangerous’

Leslie Beyer, Donald Trump’s nominee for a top Interior Department position, has agreed that the recent order to stop work on Equinor’s Empire Wind project sent “a dangerous message” to developers.

Beyer, nominated as assistant secretary of the interior, lands and minerals management, was asked by senator Angus King during a confirmation hearing about the administration putting a stop to Equinor’s fully-permitted 810MW offshore wind project.

The senator claimed that the administration’s decision would have a “chilling effect” on developers and was an “extraordinary action”. He then asked if Beyer, a seasoned oil and gas industry professional, agreed that “a step that withdraws an already-issued permit” was “a dangerous message to the development community generally”.

She did emphasise that the US needs all forms of energy that it “can get its hands on” and that there was “a premium to secure affordable and reliable energy that is not weather dependent.”

But added that she also agreed with senator King that companies need certainty in the permitting system so they can make financial investment decisions, and that the order to stop the Empire Wind project was a negative signal.

A few days ago Equinor chief executive Anders Opedal said in a quarterly earnings statement that the company would be seeking to engage directly with the US administration to clarify the matter regarding the $2.5bn offshore wind project, as well as consider its legal options.

“We have invested in Empire Wind after obtaining all necessary approvals, and the order to halt work now is unprecedented and in our view unlawful,” Opedal said.