Reintroduced bill aims to halt wind energy projects on the Great Lakes

• A bill reintroduced to Congress by Rep. Nick Langworthy aims to block wind turbine developments on the Great Lakes by revoking access to federal tax credits. Langworthy originally introduced The Lakes Before Turbines Act in 2023.
• Langworthy cites environmental concerns, economic impacts and limited energy benefits as key reasons for again pushing for the passage of this legislation.
• The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has found the Great Lakes hold significant wind energy potential, with capacity estimates exceeding electricity use in five out of the eight states bordering these bodies of water.

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A bill reintroduced to Congress in March seeks to halt the development of wind turbines on the Great Lakes. The Lakes Before Turbines Act, first proposed in 2023 by Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., is back before lawmakers.

Why is there a push to stop wind projects on the Great Lakes?

Langworthy is also behind this latest effort to pass the legislation. He argues wind turbines along the Great Lakes pose significant risks to both the environment and the region’s economy, which relies heavily on its tourism industry.

The congressman also called turbines “expensive” and “unreliable,” claiming they have a limited impact on energy supply.

“Wind turbines do not belong on the shorelines of our Great Lakes,” Langworthy said. “They would harm the Lake’s precious ecosystem.”

How will this bill halt wind projects on the Great Lakes?

The proposed legislation would prevent wind energy developers from using federal tax credits for projects on the Great Lakes, a move designed to reduce the financial feasibility of such developments. Langworthy said that without government subsidies, energy companies would likely be deterred by the costly prospect of building wind farms in the region.

What is the argument against passing this bill?

However, previous studies have found the potential for wind energy generation on the Great Lakes is significant.

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Great Lakes could support 160 gigawatts of capacity for fixed-bottom turbines and more than 400 gigawatts for floating systems. That output would exceed the annual electricity consumption of five out of the eight U.S. states bordering the lakes.

What happens next?

As this bill now returns before Congress, it does so under a much different political landscape. The Trump administration is promoting energy policies less favorable to wind power projects compared to the pro-renewable approach of the Biden era.

Shifting priorities in the U.S. energy sector have already impacted the global renewable market. German energy company RWE, one of the world’s largest offshore wind developers, recently announced plans to reduce its investments by nearly $11 billion through 2030, citing uncertainty surrounding American clean energy initiatives as a contributing factor.