Trump Says He Will Not Approve Wind Permits As Part Of Permitting Bill

President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration would not approve permits for wind turbines, a key part of a bipartisan permitting bill set to receive a Senate vote this evening.

Trump also said he still supported the bill, which lawmakers from both parties negotiated for months. The legislation is meant to streamline approvals for energy projects, transmission lines, data centers and more.

But Trump’s opposition to an important clean energy resource could jeopardize the legislation. Many Democrats in the House and Senate have said their votes are contingent on the bill’s support for clean energy projects.

“The bill hasn't been fully negotiated,” Trump said at the White House podium. “I will not approve wind turbines because wind turbines are a major loser.”

After blocking dozens of approvals for wind projects for months, the Trump administration in recent weeks has allowed for a limited number of approvals as lawmakers negotiated the legislative text.

These approvals were meant to show good faith, according to White House officials, as Democrats and Republicans worked toward a final text.

Oil and clean energy companies and trade groups have lobbied for the bill’s passage, even as some major environmental groups have encouraged Democrats to reject it and wait until the next Congress when they take control in order to achieve a better outcome.

The Senate voted overwhelmingly for cloture, 73 to 25, on the bipartisan permitting reform bill on Monday night. Twenty-two Democrats voted for it. Earlier in the day, the administration approved 10 additional onshore wind projects ahead of the vote, including those in Texas, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas and Washington.

After Trump’s comments, some lawmakers said they were reconsidering their vote.

“The president made an unfortunate statement this afternoon about wind power that undermines my confidence in the good faith of the administration, so that will influence my vote as well,” Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said he was not supporting the bill after Trump’s comments.

“I think it's a pretty clear indication that he has not changed course in any way when it comes to renewable energy, and any wiggle room left in the bill to prioritize oil and gas over renewables he’ll make full use of,” Schiff told POLITICO, speaking on the Senate floor, after Trump’s comments.

Pavan Acharya and Andres Picon contributed to this report.