California’s offshore wind strategic plan calls for developing 25 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2045.
On Tuesday, California and eight East Coast states filed lawsuits challenging federal agreements that cancel offshore wind leases and provide payments to energy companies after they make corresponding investments in other energy projects.
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California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Energy Commission sued the U.S. Department of the Interior and Invenergy, a California offshore wind leaseholder, over an agreement involving the cancellation of a lease in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area off California’s Central Coast.
Under the agreement, Invenergy affiliates would invest over US$111 million in fossil fuel projects before receiving an equivalent federal reimbursement, according to California’s complaint. The Interior Department canceled the lease in July, the complaint stated.
California alleges the agreement violates the Constitution and numerous federal laws, including the Administrative Procedure Act, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Judgment Fund Act. The state is asking the court to invalidate the agreement and the lease termination.
The federal government sold Golden State Wind an offshore wind lease.
Now taxpayers are set to pay the company:
$120 MILLION
to give it back.
There’s another condition.
Golden State Wind must invest an equivalent amount in non-renewable energy projects outside California.… pic.twitter.com/aSiKI3C7da
— P a u l ◉ (@SkylineReport) August 29, 2026
Separately, attorneys general from New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont challenged agreements involving three Invenergy leases and a Bluepoint Wind lease, according to their complaints. The agreements provide for federal payouts of more than US$653 million for the Invenergy leases and US$765 million for the Bluepoint lease.
The Interior Department said the agreements redirect investment from offshore wind toward natural gas and other energy projects that it says would provide more reliable energy and strengthen U.S. energy security.
California’s offshore wind strategic plan calls for developing 25 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2045. The state said it has invested more than US$100 million in preparing ports, transmission systems and industries for offshore wind development.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: Xinhua
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