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America's offshore wind detour

The Trump administration is paying offshore wind developers billions to abandon projects, raising questions about energy costs and taxpayer money

Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images

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Earlier this year, the Trump administration agreed to pay offshore wind developers nearly $4 billion to not build wind farms. Nine states sued on Sept. 22 to unwind some of the deals.

The lawsuits targeted Invenergy, which was to get $653 million for three leases, and Bluepoint Wind, which was to get $765 million for one. They were the latest in a string that began in March with TotalEnergies, which got $928 million back for two leases. California filed a separate suit over Invenergy's Morro Bay lease, tied to another $111 million.

Each deal worked the same way. Interior refunded what the company had paid for its lease, which it described as dollar for dollar, and the lease was canceled. In exchange, the company promised to invest the same amount in gas and other energy projects.

Interior called the deals........

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