Trump cancels $33M Salem pier offshore wind grant in favor of "real infrastructure"
Healey fires back: "There is nothing wasteful about this project"
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cancelled a $33M federal grant late Friday to help build a pier in Salem which is a critical link in Governor Maura Healey’s drive toward offshore wind and the Net Zero 2050 mandate.
“Wasteful, wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalizing America’s maritime industry,” said Secretary Duffy, “Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg bent over backwards to use transportation dollars for their Green New Scam agenda while ignoring the dire needs of our shipbuilding industry. Thanks to President Trump, we are prioritizing real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little.”
Trump has called offshore wind “ugly and expensive” and a “scam” Recently the Trump administration froze construction of Revolution Wind of the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.
The Salem cut is part of a larger Duffy decision to terminate or withdraw $679M “from doomed offshore wind projects.”
In April WBUR reported that “the [Salem] pier is already behind schedule.” The facility is similar to a offshore wind terminal in New Bedford.
But Governor Maura Healey who has been out of state at an unannounced location fired back: “There is nothing wasteful about this project, which has been supported by both a Democratic and Republican Governor. The real waste here is the Trump Administration canceling tens of millions of dollars for a project that is already underway to increase our energy supply and support hundreds of workers and their families.”
Mass Fiscal called Trump’s move a “Big win for ratepayers, big loss for Healey/Driscoll supporters.”
The $33M grant is a significant, but not largest portion of funding for the pier project.
The state spent $30M to acquire the site, plus $155M in additional state grants, Crowley the private sector partner is also expected to invest.