Trump Officials in Talks With Wind Developers to Buy Back Leases

The Trump administration is talking with some offshore wind developers about buying back the leases they purchased from the federal government years ago to develop energy projects along the US coast.

The potential reimbursements — meant to cover the original lease purchase price — are seen as the latest push by the administration to thwart a nascent US offshore wind industry that’s anathema to President Donald Trump. He has long criticized wind farms as ugly, bird-killing monstrosities and vowed no new wind turbines will be installed in the country under his watch.

Companies that agree to relinquish the leases ...