In a pair of rapid-fire announcements, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities said Monday it was ending the state’s fourth round of solicitation for new offshore wind projects without choosing any additional ones. The board said three projects had submitted bids, but two of them withdrew already. That left only Atlantic Shores, which was stung last week by the withdrawal of Shell as one of its two partners. The state’s second announcement was that it would look for uses other than offshore wind for the New Jersey Wind Port, a government-funded facility in Hancocks Bridge in Salem County. The project’s website says Gov. Phil Murphy “has committed over $637 million towards the NJWP, representing the largest single investment in offshore wind by any state.” Taken together, the announcements represent a body blow to an industry that was already reeling from project cancellations, delays and, most significantly, a move by President Donald Trump to halt all new wind energy projects and look for ways to kill existing ones. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:38
Tag Archives: President Donald Trump
Federal environmental permit gets yanked from N.J. offshore wind farm
In what may be the most striking blow to an offshore wind farm since President Donald Trump took office, a project for New Jersey’s coast had a critical federal environmental permit yanked away Friday. Judge Mary Kay Lynch, in an Environmental Appeals Court, issued the ruling to remand Atlantic Shores’ Clean Air Act permit, which the developer had been issued this past fall. The latest setback for the company comes after a challenge from a group of residents — as part of the local group Save Long Beach Island or “Save LBI” — and is being sent back to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for further review. “This is a significant event because to my knowledge it is the first time that a federal approval for any offshore wind project has been overturned,” Bob Stern, who leads Save LBI, said in a statement Saturday, “and it highlights the lack of full disclosure and questionable science and mathematics that has characterized other applications and approvals.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:24
Tariff fears and high stakes for Atlantic Canada at the Boston Seafood Expo
Seafood industry reps from more than 50 countries are in Boston for what is usually an exciting three days of meetings, showcases, and networking at the annual Seafood Expo North America. This year, though, the stakes have never been higher for Atlantic Canadians. Fears of potential industry-rocking tariffs from the United States and China are overshadowing everything happening on the show floor. The expo is playing out during a moment of potential crisis for the Canadian seafood landscape, as economic tariffs that would apply to seafood loom large, along with uncertainty about what will happen if the new charges do happen.Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
Fishermen could face stricter catch limits as Trump slashes NOAA
On a recent Wednesday, many crews on New Bedford’s fishing piers were doing gear work for their next trip, as Eric Hansen repaired the cabinets in the galley of The Intrepid, one of his two scallop boats. People on the docks have known for weeks about the mass firing at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but Hansen said most people don’t realize how it will affect them yet. “Some are welcoming the cuts, saying that the government has been their downfall and there’s too many regulations,” Hansen said. “And I don’t share that opinion.” Hansen, a former captain from a fishing family where five consecutive generations entered the industry, said that’s because he remembers when the scallop fishery hit rock bottom. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:54
Mass Layoffs at Companies Working on Humboldt Offshore Wind Projects; At Least Some Local People Laid Off
The future of Humboldt County’s offshore wind industry appears increasingly uncertain following mass layoffs at RWE and Vineyard Offshore, the multinational energy companies leading efforts to develop commercial-scale floating wind farms on the North Coast. The job cuts come in response to widespread market uncertainty following President Donald Trump’s efforts to ban offshore wind development in the United States. In a regulatory filing submitted last week, RWE Offshore Wind Services, LLC confirmed its plans to cut dozens of jobs in its U.S. offshore wind division. Lots of links. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:38
Chinese tariffs on Canadian seafood would serve ‘devastating’ double whammy, fisheries council says
The Fisheries Council of Canada says tariffs on Canadian seafood entering China spells disaster for the industry — including in Newfoundland and Labrador — and serves as a double whammy with U.S. tariffs already in play. China announced it would impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian seafood effective March 20 as a retaliatory measure to Canadian tariffs on steel, aluminum and electric vehicles in the fall. The list of over 40 products facing the tariff includes lobster, crab, shrimp, halibut and more. “Some of the fisheries, some of the species that go to China, are almost exclusively going to China,” council chair Alberto Wareham told CBC News from Arnold’s Cove, N.L. on Tuesday. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:56
China slaps 25 per cent tariff on N.S. lobster, throwing seafood industry into turmoil
Chinese counter tariffs on Canadian seafood will include east coast lobster. Nova Scotian exporters have heard directly from buyers in China that the 25 per cent tariff goes into effect March 20. “For America and China to simultaneously, and for entirely different reasons, target Canadian seafood is incredibly poor luck, and beyond that it is incredibly hard to comprehend,” Stewart Lamont, owner of Tangier Lobster, said on Sunday. Just over 40 per cent of Nova Scotia’s live lobster exports go to China. About 40 per cent of live lobster exports, along with 70 per cent of frozen processed lobster, go to the United States. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:10
Canada commits over C$6 billion to fight impact of US tariffs, find new markets
Canada on Friday unveiled billions of dollars in aid and other forms of support to businesses and people expected to be directly affected by U.S. tariffs. These relief measures involve over C$6.5 billion ($4.52 billion) of financial aid to help companies tap new international markets, absorb the impact of losses, access easy loans and prevent layoffs, a team of ministers said. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration imposed 25% tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico earlier this week, before announcing a suspension of the charges until April 2 on goods covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. “We are moving ahead with these changes despite yesterday’s pause because businesses and workers need assurances right now,” Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said at a news conference on Friday. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:35
Damaged Wind Turbine that Polluted Nantucket Beaches Last Year Further Damaged in Lightning Strike
Lightning struck a wind turbine off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, last week, further damaging a turbine operated by Vineyard Wind that made headlines last year when its blade fell off, polluting the ocean and nearby beaches. “The coverup blows on. Vineyard Wind’s lack of transparency around the structural integrity of its mammoth wind turbines is deeply frustrating to fishermen,” said Jerry Leeman, CEO of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association. “In fact, Vineyard Wind officials met in February with officials from the Bureau of Safety and Environment Enforcement to discuss improving communications over safety issues. Foreign offshore wind developers seem breezily dismissive of commercial fishermen,” he added. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:15
Trump’s Offshore Wind Review to Consider Status of Projects
The Trump administration’s ongoing review of offshore wind projects will feature different treatment for projects actively under development versus those that have merely been proposed, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday. Burgum’s comments during a visit to a natural gas export terminal in Louisiana suggest the administration may apply less scrutiny to wind farms that have already secured federal permits and are under construction. President Donald Trump indefinitely halted the sale of new offshore wind leases on his first day in office and pausing permitting of all wind projects on federal lands and waters. He also raised the specter of outright cancellations for existing leases. The president directed the Interior Department to review the “necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases” and “identifying any legal bases for such removal.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:26
‘Cruel’ tariff threats bring endless uncertainty to N.B. fisheries
Leaders in New Brunswick’s fishing industry are not mincing words when it comes to the cloud of uncertainty hanging over the constant back and forth of tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. “Oh, it’s painful. It’s painful,” said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada, in an interview. The latest date for tariffs to take effect, now set for April 2, coincides with the opening of lobster season in some sectors of the Atlantic region, but that’s about all Irvine could say for certain about the potential impact. “Honestly, I don’t have a clue. Every single processor, shipper and exporter will have to talk to their customers.” He said the constantly changing news is destabilizing. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:31
Fishing industry watches tariff battle, counting the days till spring seasons
Like everyone, Nova Scotia’s fishing industry has been trying to parse what U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs will mean for them. “It’s too early to know yet,” said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. There is little lobster coming ashore right now, which buys the industry time to hope for a resolution that sees the 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian products heading south dropped. Fishing will pick up later this month off southwest Nova Scotia as waters warm, and then in April seasons will start opening from Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia, with massive quantities of crustaceans coming over wharves throughout the region by May 1. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:29
Canadian tariffs would ‘cripple’ Maine lobster industry, state’s top fisheries leader says
Maine’s outgoing commissioner of marine resources is warning about the dire impacts of newly imposed tariffs on Canadian imports. Maine sends about $200 million worth of lobster each year to Canada, where it’s processed and sent back to the U.S. or to third markets. Marine Resources Commission Pat Keliher said the tariffs could trigger major cuts in what Maine lobstermen are paid for their catch that could “cripple” the state’s iconic fishery. “The only way for this to be made up on the cost perspective is at the boat price,” Keliher said Tuesday during an appearance on Maine Calling. “So I am very concerned that going into this year, that we are going to see all time low boat prices. And… with the declining volume of lobster, we will see, potentially hundreds of people going out of business because of these tariffs.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:50
NOAA firings hit crucial Alaska weather service, fishery research
Alaskans were among the hundreds of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees who began receiving firing notices this week, a blow to an agency that provides everything from weather forecasts to fisheries management to cutting-edge climate science in Alaska. The cuts — part of a broader effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to drastically slash the federal workforce — came after other agencies, including the National Park Service, had abruptly fired probationary workers in recent weeks. Nationally, more than 800 people across NOAA, an organization of 13,000 staff members, were fired, the New York Times reported Thursday. In Alaska, it was not immediately clear how many had lost their jobs, but they included NOAA employees working on fishery research and weather monitoring, among other functions. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:21
DOGE Email Throws Federal Agencies Into Chaos and Confusion
On Saturday, employees throughout the federal government received an email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), demanding a reply with “approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week.” On X, Elon Musk posted that failure to respond, “will be taken as a resignation.” The result? Confusion, chaos, and resentment among a federal workforce that increasingly feels under attack. “So f-ing dumb,” says one air traffic controller who received the email and was granted anonymity for fear of retribution. Leaders of many agencies appear to have been caught off guard. At the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which houses the National Weather Service, some managers initially cautioned against replying to the email in case it was a phishing attempt. Another NOAA employee says they were cautioned not to log onto their work email after receiving it. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:27
NOAA set to slash jobs ‘imminently’
Mass firings are set to hit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) “imminently,” a source with knowledge told The Hill. The person, who asked to speak anonymously due to fear of reprisals, said that the agency had not yet been subjected to the steep cuts announced elsewhere due to the then-pending confirmation of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The Commerce Department oversees NOAA and the National Weather Service. Many of the federal cuts thus far have targeted probationary workers, which includes recent hires but also those who have been recently promoted. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:34
Following Trump’s executive order, New Hampshire House votes to roll back offshore wind
Citing President Donald Trump’s executive order halting new federal offshore wind leases, the New Hampshire House voted Thursday to roll back offshore wind development in the state. HB 682 would remove “offshore wind industry development” from the Office of Offshore Wind Industry Development and Energy Innovation. It would also repeal the Offshore Wind Industry Workforce Training Center Committee and the Offshore and Port Development Commission. Along with cost, House Republicans cited harm to the ocean life as a reason for their opposition to offshore wind. “After the President’s executive order to eliminate offshore wind and turbines this bill seeks to avoid the destruction of nearby fisheries, lobster, shellfish, and whales,” wrote Rep. James Summer, R-Newton. “Offshore wind is more expensive and destructive than any other renewable energy source.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:10
P.E.I. snow crab fishery faces deep cuts in catches as U.S. tariffs loom
P.E.I. snow crab fishers are facing a big cut in how much they can catch in 2025, with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans recommending a 33 per cent reduction in their quota in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. That number is based on concerns about the health of the crab population and comes as the threat of a U.S. tariff looms over the industry. “It kind of hits you hard because it’s a substantial amount of crab to lose and it’s a substantial income to lose,” said Alden Gaudet, who fishes snow crab out of Tignish Run and is vice-president of the P.E.I. Snow Crab Association. “I believe we’ll be dropping about 20,000 pounds per licence this year, and I believe we dropped 21,000 pounds per P.E.I. licence last year,” Gaudet said. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:05
Will the tariff tiff tear at the fabric of Canada-U.S. seafood trade?
From snow crab and lobster to Pacific salmon, seafood is a trade driver between Canada and the United States. This cross-border commerce has mutually benefited the two nations, but rising trade tensions now threaten this critical supply chain. This month, President Donald Trump has signed executive orders imposing broad tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, its top trading partners. With a trade war still looming, the seafood sector faces uncertainty over pricing, market access and job security. Across Canada, industry leaders are bracing for economic fallout as possible tariffs could disrupt the flow of seafood between the two nations. The seafood trade between Canada and the United States generates billions in revenue annually, benefiting both countries. Canada imported (U.S.) $3.1 billion worth of seafood in 2023 alone, with the United States supplying the largest share at $1 billion – making up 31 percent of Canada’s total seafood imports. On the flip side, the United States imported more than $3.6 billion in seafood products from Canada, making it the country’s largest supplier. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<< 10:39
Google Maps changes Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America
Following the lead of the Geographic Names Information System, Google has changed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on Google Maps. Google announced two weeks ago that it would change the name of the body of water between Mexico and Florida when GNIS made the change, it would follow suit. The label will differ depending on where a user is located. For people in the U.S., the map will read “Gulf of America.” Users in Mexico will see “Gulf of Mexico.” While people everywhere else will see “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:07
Selling more NL fish within Canada not likely strategy as fishery looks to diversify amid Trump tariffs
There’s been lots of talk of knocking down interprovincial trade barriers to help promote the buy Canadian campaign launched in response to American tariff threats, but it’s unlikely those efforts will benefit the fishery much. Those involved in the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery have sounded the alarm, warning that the fishery would be among the province’s industries hit hardest by the 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian exports United States President Donald Trump has promised to impose. The response of the fishing industry has been to express a need to expand its markets beyond the U.S., where much of the locally caught and processed product is sold. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:01
Amid ongoing trade tensions, there’s still no timeline on N.L.’s Boston trade office
A new trade office recently announced by Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey to strengthen commercial relations with New England still isn’t off the ground, as a trade war looms with the United States. Furey announced in September that the provincial government would open a trade office in Boston, located inside the city’s Canadian consulate. Last week, Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne said the Boston office will play a key role in the province’s navigation of the current economic climate. “One of the key roles of the Boston office [is to] constantly, constantly engage U.S. consumers, U.S. business groups, U.S. congressmen, [U.S.] influencers … to get them to tell the White House that Trump’s decisions are hurting Americans,” Byrne said, appearing on a segment of VOCM’s Open Line. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:29
Danielle Smith: How Team Canada can overcome Trump tariffs
Like most Canadians, I was very disappointed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to place tariffs on all Canadian goods. This decision will harm both Canadian and American consumers, workers and businesses alike, and strain the historic and important friendship between our two nations. Canada has responded with counter-tariffs of our own on specific U.S. imports that Canadians can generally purchase domestically or source from non-U.S. suppliers. Although I understand the need for this proportionate response, make no mistake, a tariff war with the United States will hurt millions of Canadian families, workers and businesses. As premier of Alberta, I am calling on my fellow premiers, the prime minister and all of our national leaders to de-escalate the rhetoric as much as possible and look to diplomacy and advocacy as our primary tool to resolve this conflict. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:46
Terry Newman: Trudeau puts Canada last
It’s finally happened. On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will be imposing a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy products and 25 per cent tariffs on everything else, starting Tuesday. We have no idea what kind of negotiations took place between the Liberals and Trump. All we know is that Canada is now facing the greatest economic threat it has faced in decades. Here’s what has to happen now: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal party need to end their unconscionable self-serving break from Parliament immediately, so that elected MPs from across the country can discuss the best path forward for Canada now. Canadians will want to know what happened during negotiations with the Americans, so the Liberal party had better have some answers. While some cabinet ministers appear to have been having a good time taking photographs in Washington, often with Democrats, it’s unclear what kind of negotiations were held, or what the content of them were. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:42
Trudeau hits back at the U.S. with big tariffs after Trump launches a trade war
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced late Saturday the federal government will hit back against the U.S. after President Donald Trump launched a trade war this weekend with punitive tariffs on all Canadian goods. Trudeau said Canada won’t stand for an attack from a country that was supposed to be an ally and friend. Ottawa will immediately levy retaliatory tariffs on a whole host of American goods as payback for Trump’s attempt to wreck the Canadian economy, Trudeau said. To start, Canada will slap 25 per cent tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods coming into Canada as of Tuesday. The tariffs will then be applied to another $125 billion worth of American imports in three weeks’ time. Trudeau said there is more non-tariff trade action coming to try to force Trump’s hand and get him to call off the hostilities. Videos. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:11
From metals to seafood: 5 N.L. industries bracing for impact of potential U.S. tariffs
Newfoundland and Labrador industries with strong ties to the U.S. are bracing for impact in the face of President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariff threat, but some advocates are calling for a future where companies don’t exclusively rely on a trading partner to the south. On Saturday, the U.S. could impose tariffs on incoming Canadian goods. That has left some Newfoundland and Labrador industries worried. Association of Seafood Producers executive director Jeff Loder said Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishery is at stake under the threat of tariffs. About 90 per cent of snow crab harvested in the province is shipped to the U.S. “The snow crab fishery is set to open in the middle of March. This is already impacting negotiations between ASP and the FFAW. It will be one of the first sectors that’s directly impacted,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:09
Trump executive order blocks progress for four offshore wind projects off NC coast
One of the hundreds of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office leaves the future of wind energy in North Carolina and off its coast in limbo. There are four sections of the Atlantic Ocean leased for offshore wind development off the North Carolina coast, including two off of Kitty Hawk and two off of Brunswick County. With the Trump executive order, all four projects are seemingly paused, with would-be developers holding leases but unable to obtain the required permits until either the administration shifts its policy or there is a change in the White House. In a statement, Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, said he would continue to advocate for wind at both the state and federal level. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:16
‘Relief’ for some, ‘dark moment’ for others: Communities react to Trump’s offshore wind order
Amid a flurry of executive actions on his first day in office, President Donald Trump sought to put the brakes on offshore wind, halting the federal permitting of wind farms and wind-energy leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf. Members of New Bedford’s scallop fleet — a lucrative fishery that has made the city the top-value fishing port in the country — welcomed Trump’s order. “We finally have been listened to, by someone in an administration,” said Eric Hansen, who owns two New Bedford scallop vessels. “We’ve been fighting wind power for quite some time, and everything seems to be fast-tracked. Now they’re going to take a pause and really look at it.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:51
Trump keeps ‘Day One’ promise to squash offshore wind projects
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Inauguration Day calling for the suspension of all offshore wind leases in federal waters of the Outer Continental Shelf for an indefinite period. The withdrawal reiterates Trump’s mantra, “Drill, baby, drill,” for oil and gas and demonstrates his preference for using fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, to address what he called the country’s national energy emergency. In the executive order, Trump cites demand for reliable energy, marine life, the fishing industry and costs for Americans as the reasons to temporarily withdraw energy leases, effective Jan. 21 and until he revokes the order. It also states there shall be no new offshore wind energy leases or renewals. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:54
A rundown of Trump’s executive actions
President Donald Trump wasted no time announcing steps to implement many of his campaign pledges, including on immigration, energy, the military and federal workforce, casting many as reversing the policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. “We will immediately restore the integrity, competency and loyalty of America’s government,” Trump said in his inaugural address on Monday (Tuesday AEDT). “With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America, and the revolution of common sense.” While Trump is still signing more orders on Monday night in Washington, here’s a brief rundown of what we know so far that his administration plans to initiate, taken from his speech, public information about the orders, briefings by incoming officials and public statements. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:23
