The U.S. Department of the Interior has paused leases for all large-scale offshore wind projects currently under construction in federal waters. The action takes effect immediately and applies to five projects off the U.S. East Coast.
The pause affects Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1. Interior cited national security concerns identified in classified government reports as the basis for the decision.
According to the department, the pause will allow Interior, the Department of Defense, and other federal agencies to review potential national security risks and assess mitigation options in coordination with leaseholders and state partners. Interior stated that offshore wind turbines may interfere with radar systems by creating signal clutter that can obscure or misidentify moving objects.
The department did not provide a timeline for completing the review. The pause applies only to lease activity and does not announce lease cancellations or permanent project termination.