Cesar Lima didn’t spend much time thinking about the politics of offshore wind. His focus stayed on the job as he worked 15 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, climbing towering wind turbines and watching dolphins swim past his boat.
That all changed a month ago when the Trump administration ordered a halt to the Revolution Wind project.
Now, Lima’s job hangs in the balance as President Trump moves to shut down offshore wind farms, disrupting years of state investment in clean energy. The administration’s decisions have delayed or possibly canceled long-term construction plans. According to a Bloomberg analysis of company and state reports, more than 15,000 current and potential jobs linked to wind projects across New England are at risk.
For now, Cesar Lima is still working alongside other skilled union workers on the Revolution Wind project, and his pay continues to come through. Still, the uncertainty about what’s ahead is hard to ignore, especially with three children who rely on him to provide for them.
Ironworkers on the project earn about $76 an hour, with health insurance and pension benefits. Their schedules are intense, often working 84 hours a week over four-week rotations, according to David Langlais of the Iron Workers union.
“I came here to support my family,” Lima said. “I try not to get caught up in the politics.” He’s confused about why the project would be paused when it’s already close to completion. “If everything keeps getting pushed back or shut down, it’s going to take a real toll on us.”
Donald Trump has long been against offshore wind projects. Before he became president, he even tried to stop a wind farm from being built near his golf course in Scotland, though he wasn’t successful. Now, his administration’s tougher stance on the industry seems to clash with claims that government policies are helping create jobs and boost investments.
Most of the potential job losses come from government actions targeting wind farms off the coast of New England. In August, the U.S. Interior Department ordered a halt to work on the Revolution Wind project. This project is being developed by the Danish company Ørsted and Global Infrastructure Partners. Ørsted says the project supports more than 2,000 jobs, with about half of those being union positions.
The companies behind the Revolution Wind project have taken legal action, asking the government to allow construction to continue. They report that they have already invested $5 billion into the project. If work doesn’t resume soon, they could face losses of around $1 billion in penalties and other costs.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, a Democrat, emphasized the state’s commitment to offshore wind. He highlighted investments in worker training, improvements at the Quonset port, and the creation of a new hub for wind construction. All of these efforts have helped generate local jobs and support the industry’s growth.
The Trump administration has also taken steps to review or cancel permits for several wind projects near Massachusetts. These projects have not yet begun construction but were expected to create over 13,100 jobs combined. Additionally, the U.S. Transportation Department withdrew $34 million in funding for a new port in Salem, Massachusetts. This port was designed to support the offshore wind industry and was expected to generate around 800 construction jobs.
Last week, the administration requested a court to revoke approval for a $6 billion wind project off the coast of Maryland. Meanwhile, a large offshore wind project in Virginia is moving forward under Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center has estimated that jobs in clean energy will need to grow to more than 140,000 by 2030 for the state to meet its climate goals. The organization has already invested over $20 million in offshore wind job training programs. Last year, Governor Maura Healey signed a bill authorizing $200 million in investments to boost offshore wind. This effort aims to position Massachusetts as a global leader in clean energy, much like its rise as a life sciences center.
“We are talking about a lot of jobs — construction jobs, union jobs,” Healey said during an interview. “There has been hundreds of millions of dollars invested in this workforce. We cannot afford to let that go to waste.”
Governors and labor leaders warn that stopping offshore wind projects will not only affect those jobs directly but also hurt related industries like manufacturing and commercial fishing. This could make the overall job market even tougher.
Frank Callahan, president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Unions, said the offshore jobs are important, but the bigger impact comes from the industry’s infrastructure that was just beginning to take shape.
In Rhode Island and Connecticut, about 80 fishermen work for Sea Services North America, a cooperative supported by Ørsted to study how the Revolution Wind project might affect marine life. Another 100 fishermen work in similar roles along the East Coast. The cooperative operates 22 independent fishing vessels and has helped participating fishermen earn an extra $24 million over four years.
Gordon Videll, CEO of Sea Services North America, said most fishermen in the group support Trump. He added that their work shows commercial fishing and offshore wind can coexist, but this idea hasn’t gained wide understanding. “It just doesn’t make sense to many people,” he said.
Ørsted also helped fund a $1 million training center in Rhode Island. This facility has trained nearly 200 students in important skills like first aid, fire safety, working at heights, and living at sea for long periods. Most of the students are union electricians and ironworkers, said Rosemary Costigan, president of the Community College of Rhode Island, where the training takes place.
“These jobs offer good pay and steady wages,” Costigan explained. “We were on the verge of expanding our program to reach more students when everything was put on hold.”
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With assistance from Jennifer A. Dlouhy and William Mathis. Read Full Article Here.
