STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul is demanding the Trump Administration uphold permits already granted for off-shore wind projects in New York amid the president’s decision to pull funding for such projects.
President Donald Trump said he was cancelling $679 million in federal funding previously slated for the nation’s offshore wind industry. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, this action will ensure that funds are directed toward restoring the maritime dominance of the U.S. and minimizing “wasteful spending.”
“We’re not going to do the wind thing. Big, ugly wind mills. They ruin your neighborhood,” said Trump at his inauguration on Jan. 20.
One project that lost funding is Arthur Kill Terminal, which has been in the planning stages for over five years. It was meant to function as a specialized port at the foot of the Outerbridge Crossing where offshore wind turbines and towers could be assembled and staged before being brought out to sea.
The project lost $48 million worth of federal funding after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy pulled money for a dozen offshore wind projects in Trump’s bid to push America away from green, sustainable energy.
Hochul issued a statement in response to the action by the Trump Administration on Labor Day: “… Today, more than 5,000 workers—many of them proud union members—are directly engaged with building this new American industry, with many thousands more manufacturing products across 40 states that will help lead to a new era of U.S. energy independence.“
She said the various projects promise “tens of thousands of additional jobs,” that aim to revitalize ports, strengthen supply chains, and ensure “that America—not our competitors—leads in clean energy manufacturing and innovation.”
“We are looking for the Trump Administration to uphold all offshore wind permits already granted and allow these projects to be constructed. Efforts to walk back these commitments jeopardize hardworking families, wasting years of progress and ceding leadership to foreign competitors,” Hochul said.
Pictured is a 2019 rendering of the Arthur Kill Terminal site. (Courtesy of Arthur Kill Terminal/Atlantic Offshore Terminals)Courtesy of Arthur Kill Terminal/Atlantic Offshore Terminals
While all permits for Arthur Kill Terminal have yet to be granted, several major approvals have already been approved, including:
-A special permit to modify height and setback regulations for infrastructure, including 150-foot light poles by the City Council.
-Zoning text amendments, landfill authorization, and a city map change to support the terminal’s development was approved by the City Planning Commission.
-The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was approved by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).
“Workers, businesses, and communities need certainty, not reversals…Sudden reversals would also impact countless other workers and taxpayers on scores of non-energy public projects. The U.S. markets operate on certainty,” said Hochul.
“Canceling projects that have already been fully permitted–including some near completion—sends the worrisome message to investors that the work can be stopped on a whim, which could lead them to decide to either not finance different projects or impose higher interest rates that would ultimately place a bigger burden on taxpayers,” she added.
BP Fossella celebrates decision
Despite having overwhelming bipartisan support from every other elected official on Staten Island, Borough President Vito Fossella said the move to slash funding earmarked for Arthur Kill Terminal “is a decisive chance to pursue a smarter, more sustainable economic development plan for Staten Island’s South Shore.”
“We were skeptical of the suitability of this site, viewing the massive, long-term funding required as both risky and overly ambitious. Moreover, we were concerned about the potential environmental damage and the risk of burdening the community with abandoned infrastructure if the project collapsed. Those fears were justified—and here we are,” Fossella said in a written statement. “Moving forward, we will collaborate with city and state agencies to champion alternative plans that truly prioritize the best interests of the Staten Island community.”
It is also worth noting that the project passed through Fossella’s office during the terminal’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, where he was given a chance to make recommendations in 2024 before it went to the City Planning Commission and City Council for approval.
Rep. Malliotakis tried saving ‘vital’ Terminal
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis in April petitioned two high-level military officials to approve a permit for the construction of Arthur Kill Terminal on Staten Island’s South Shore
In an April 4 letter to Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll, the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ Chief of Engineers, and Commanding General William Graham, Jr., Malliotakis wrote: “Arthur Kill Terminal is a vital economic development project for my district… I encourage you to expedite the final review and authorization of this permit.”
Malliotakis issued the following statement to the Advance/SILive.com on Sunday: “We are working with Secretary Duffy to get the funding repurposed to another maritime, port infrastructure or economic development project that would benefit Staten Island. The permitting work I did in April is for the development of the port, but not specific to any one project.”
The construction of this terminal was set to produce 750 union jobs, which have been hanging in the balance for months due to Trump’s executive order, halting the permitting process around offshore wind facilities.
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