CAC’s Margie Alt on Suggested $1 Billion Payoff to Stop Wind Energy in New York and North Carolina
For Immediate Release: March 18, 2026
Contact: Gabrielle Levy, glevy@cacampaign.org, (562) 673-6974
CAC’s Margie Alt on Suggested $1 Billion Payoff to Stop Wind Energy in New York and North Carolina
WASHINGTON-Today, the Trump Administration is reportedly in settlement talks with TotalEnergies, a French energy company, that had been working to develop offshore wind projects in New York and North Carolina, but was being thwarted by the White House. The rumored settlement would pay nearly $928 million to cancel federal leases for the two offshore wind projects. In exchange, TotalEnergies would abandon the two wind farms capable of powering over 1.3 million American homes and, instead, invest in Texas natural gas infrastructure. The proposed settlement, first reported by the New York Times, follows a series of court losses in which federal judges repeatedly blocked administration efforts to halt the offshore wind construction.
Margie Alt, Director of the Climate Action Campaign, released the following statement in response:
“The Trump administration tried and failed five times to kill offshore wind. So now Trump and his minions want to pay a French energy company almost $1 billion in taxpayer money to finish the job.
"Energy costs for American consumers are soaring, thanks to Trump’s literal war in Iran and economic war on clean energy. Instead of reversing this reckless course, Trump is proposing to pay a foreign corporation nearly one billion American tax dollars to abandon cheaper, cleaner energy and double down on the fossil fuels already driving bills higher, making Americans sicker and worsening the climate crisis.
"Trump has always been a lousy businessman. This time, though, it’s not his own companies going belly up. He’s bankrupting American families, and doing irreparable damage to the clean energy industry and our climate along the way."
About the Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition driving ambitious, durable, equitable federal action to tackle the climate crisis. By cutting carbon pollution and accelerating the transition to clean energy, we will improve public health and create a more resilient economy and a more sustainable future for all.
