Virginia’s election this month of a Democratic governor raised fears that the Trump administration would try to stop another major offshore wind project, but analysts say it’s increasingly unlikely that federal officials will mount a successful challenge.
That’s because a strong showing by Democrats around the country — plus the late-stage construction status of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project, or CVOW — could make roadblocks hard for administration officials to carry out once Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger takes office in January.
A blue wave hit Virginia last week, handing Democrats control of state government in an election that gave hints of the national mood so far during President Donald Trump’s second term. With the cost of living on many voters’ minds, new interventions by the president in major renewable energy projects that could raise electricity bills may now be less likely.
“I don’t think that the administration would right now want to be credibly accused of doing things that directly increase the cost of energy, which is already a hot-button issue and one on which I think quite a few voters voted,” said Jim Bowe, an energy attorney at King & Spalding.
