Elected officials ask why BOEM has put 1,000 workers out of work on the Revolution Wind project
September 1, 2025
Washington, D.C. On August 22, the Danish wind farm developer Ørsted received a letter from the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordering it to “halt all ongoing activities.”
The Revolution Wind project was subject to over nine years of review. The project is 80 percent complete, with 45 of its 65 turbines already installed. Once finished and plugged into the grid, Revolution Wind would generate 704 megawatts of clean energy, capable of powering nearly 350,000 homes.
“Halting Revolution Wind is a devastating attack on one thousand union workers and their families, on electricity customers, and the energy security of America,” said Alex Cornell du Houx, President of Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA), Former Maine State Representative, and a Marine combat veteran. “With oil and gas prices fluctuating, conflicts fought over fossil fuel resources, and the oil cartel OPEC dictating the price of crude, this action weakens our national security. Wind energy is energy security.”
BOEM Director Matt Giacona, who previously worked as a lobbyist for the offshore oil industry, used national security as a reason why his agency stopped the work. “In particular, BOEM is seeking to address concerns related to the protection of national security interests in the United States,” wrote Giacona.
“Revolution Wind must be restarted. With every job lost, with every clean energy grant or initiative rescinded by the federal government, good paying union jobs are on the line. Offshore wind energy has been calculated into the clean energy portfolios of various states. They are relying on having it help power the grid to meet their responsible clean energy goals. They know we cannot withstand more greenhouse gas pollution that worsens the climate crisis resulting in extreme weather events,” said Debbie Sariñana, New Mexico State Representative District 21, Air Force veteran, Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) New Mexico Leadership Council Chair, EOPA National Council Co-chair. “The climate crisis is a threat multiplier. We must deploy more clean energy solutions, not more pump jacks for drilling dirty fossil fuels. More solar, wind and offshore wind energy will solidify America as a responsible clean energy leader with union jobs making us energy secure.”
The manufacturing sector lost a combined 14,000 net jobs in May and June, according to federal data. U.S. hiring is slowing sharply as President Donald Trump’s trade policies paralyze businesses and raise doubts about the outlook for the world’s largest economy.
“Everyone needs to be protected from the devastation wrought by extreme weather caused by fossil fuel greenhouse gas in our atmosphere. We need offshore wind developments like Revolution Wind as an energy security solution, and a job creator that drives prosperity,” said Sandra Scott, Georgia State Representative, District 76, Army Veteran, Elected Officials to Protect America Leadership Council member. “WIth federal grants like the Solar-For-All program having been rescinded in Georgia, and other federal clean energy projects stopped by this administration, America will not meet our promise of energy security. Low-income communities will suffer the most, being subjected to extreme weather and the carcinogenic pollutants caused by fossil fuel extraction and production.”
New York’s South Fork Wind project has already shown offshore wind is a viable natural fit for the Northeast, operating on par with the state’s strongest pre-existing power plants and respecting and supporting union jobs.
“The fully permitted offshore wind energy project has 20-year power purchase agreements. Businesses rely on the integrity of federal and state agencies and laws to have the security and certainty to move forward with big industrial projects like the build out of offshore wind. When that trust is betrayed, as it has been with the Revolution project, it sends negative ripple effects throughout the economy,” said Benjamin Collings, Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) Offshore Wind Director, Former Maine State Representative. “These 1,000 union workers, their families, their communities and the businesses that are servicing the buildout all suffer, along with the supply chains and the promise of a future with lower energy bills. The rights of all these workers need to be upheld.”
The governors of Rhode Island and Connecticut promised to fight a Trump administration order halting work on a nearly complete wind farm off their coasts that was expected to be operational in 2026.
“The Revolution Wind offshore wind farm was 80 percent completed. It must be allowed to continue or the world will not believe the word of the United States is viable. This administration wants to ramp up fossil fuel extraction and production, while stopping clean energy solutions like offshore wind. An increase in fossil fuel production will threaten infrastructure, public health, water, and food supplies at home and globally,” said Dr. Pat Spearman, Former Nevada State Senator, President Pro-Tempore, Retired US Army Lt. Colonel, Veteran, Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) National Climate Emergency & Energy Security Task Force member. “The US pays $81 billion protecting oil interests around the world every year. $81 billion. On the other hand, renewables are the cheapest form of power today, reduce our carbon footprint, create union jobs, protect public health, lift up environmental justice communities, and are critical to energy security.”
In May, the Attorney General of Connecticut, William Tong, and 17 other Attorney Generals sued the administration over its attempts to restrict wind projects.
“This is a story of corruption, plain and simple. President Trump has sold our country out to big corporations with the oil and gas industry at the top of the list,” said Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut when the stop work action happened. “I will work with my colleagues and Governor Lamont to pursue all legal paths to get this project back on track.”
“The corruption and greed of the fossil fuel industry that influences these ill advised maneuvers by the federal government is not warranted with records for oil production already occurring these past two years. They don’t need any more favors or profits, but we need alternative energy projects immediately to reverse the catastrophic devastation fossil fuel carbon output has unleashed. The future of our children and grandchildren must come before oil company profits,” added Former Maine State Representative Collings.
The manufacturing sector lost a combined 14,000 net jobs in May and June, according to federal data. U.S. hiring is slowing sharply as President Donald Trump’s erratic trade policies paralyze businesses and raise doubts about the outlook for the world’s largest economy.
Bloomberg Economics found that the total direct and indirect job losses from efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), could reach 535,000 by the end of this year.
“According to an analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, If the employment impact of workers supported through government contracts and grants is proportional to that of those directly employed by the federal government it could mean the broader US federal workforce could shrink by as much as 1.2 million. Clearly, slashing jobs has negative ripple effects — consequences that hurt workers and communities,” said Dominic Frongillo, EOPA Executive Director and Co-Founder, Fmr. Councilmember & Deputy Supervisor Caroline, New York. “Now, a thousand union workers’ jobs are in jeopardy. These trained professionals have already put in 2 million work hours successfully building this offshore wind project, with bipartisan support. Now, they’ve been left in limbo. With school around the corner their families are suffering uncertainty and unnecessary stress. The Revolution Wind project should start up immediately. Delaying this project means delaying reliable, American-made energy the Northeast urgently needs for energy security, jobs and prosperity.”
Since 1894, the US has celebrated unions and union workers acknowledging the social and economic achievements of American workers on Labor Day.
