Winds of change in White House as Trump does deal with NYC

Plus, new survey shows how little cutting carbon footprint means to consumers

In today’s edition:

— The restarting of NY’s Empire Wind project jolts wind shares as Trump works a deal

— The cost of consumer climate choices, and where environmental impact fits in

— National Geographic reports on whether climate change is making tornadoes worse

— EPA to roll back drinking water regulations; likely will be tested in court

— Majority of voters say government should do more to protect them from global warming

It all came down to a deal. Again. Wind companies and their investors are still celebrating after NY Gov. Kathy Hochul said the White House agreed to allow the largest wind project for electricity directly to NYC to restart in apparent exchange for state approval of a gas pipeline project.

The headlines jolted wind stocks in Europe as investors quickly speculated that President Donald Trump’s insatiable desire for deals will extend to the wind industry he purports to hate. Shares of Danish wind giant Ørsted soared as much as 16% Tuesday in Europe, while shares of rival Vestas Wind were up almost 7%.

The project, which had been approved last year by the former Biden administration and then halted in mid-construction last month by the Interior Dept., raising fears that other wind projects in mid-construction might be stopped, employs about 1,500 people and is supported by Norwegian energy company Equinor. It is scheduled to start running commercially in 2027.

There are three other wind projects under construction on the Atlantic Coast, including a big one off the coast of Virginia. The deal might also give a boost to sinking hopes that Republican lawmakers in Congress might be able to find creative deals to preserve some of the other renewable energy projects across the country that are in line to be cut in the upcoming Trump tax bill.

The question in NY now is exactly what was in the deal Hochul cut with Trump and is there another shoe to drop. New York congestion tax anyone?

Don’t forget to contact me directly if you have suggestions or ideas dcallaway@callawayclimateinsights.com.

Follow us . . . .

Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

---

Tuesday’s subscriber insights

The cost of consumer climate choices