Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

arstechnica.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 585 posts

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#71

Post by heavyset_go »

catigula wrote: post #25

It's interesting that people are very incredulous of there being a legitimate defense reason for this when we have had unilateral unanswered drone incursions all over Europe and the US. There's obviously some sort of arms race occurring and some of it is public. The world in on the precipice of many technologies advancing at an all too rapid pace. The idea that technology will become tightly regulated isn't inconceiv…

They've been crying wolf for nearly a decade now, they aren't suddenly going to have a change of heart and be honest now.

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#72

Post by bakies »

tony_cannistra wrote: post #21

I looked into this a little because I was curious. I guess the ostensible "national security" rationale (which clearly is not the only reason!) for this is that turbines severely degrade the utility of radar surveillance along the coastlines. This is particularly relevant for low-altitude incursions and drones. Now, other large governments (UK) have resolved this in several ways, including the deployment of additiona…

Seems like "national security" has become a phrase that can be used to circumvent many laws, facts, and balance checks. Just like the word "terrorist." It seems like if these ever get challenged to the Supreme Court the current judges will rule with something like it being at the president's discretion.

So obviously the government can spend some of that $1T military budget on fixing their coastal radar.

I thought Massachusetts just won in court to get their money or construction resumed, wonder if this means they have to go back to court.

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#73

Post by ekjhgkejhgk »

linuxhansl wrote: post #29

What the... It seems we crossed into the realm of intentionally doing damage. I'm reminded of threatening tariffs to successfully derail global carbon levy on ship emissions. Meanwhile China runs away with all the clean energy tech (solar, wind, batteries, etc, etc.) while we hold to fossil fuels to save less than 200,000 jobs.

What? They've been intentionally doing damage for a long time. Pardoning criminals is one that comes to mind.

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#75

Post by vntok »

breakyerself wrote: post #24
linuxftw wrote: post #20

To be fair, there could absolutely be national security issues. One example might be undersea (or even surface) navigation. If the coastline is littered with windmills off shore, this might create a negative of submarine navigation routes. That's clearly information we don't want shared with adversaries. There might be undersea classified cables. There might be classified sonar stations. It might be hard to detect ad…

Sure. We can always imagine an excuse to avoid dealing with the obvious reality. I don't think it's productive though.

Yet Sweden did it too (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/11/11/why-swe...) and they quote these defense-related reasons. Are they lying, do you believe that Sweden of all countries is under Trump's direct influence re: wind aversion?

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#76

Post by bakies »

andrewflnr wrote: post #32
linuxhansl wrote: post #29

What the... It seems we crossed into the realm of intentionally doing damage. I'm reminded of threatening tariffs to successfully derail global carbon levy on ship emissions. Meanwhile China runs away with all the clean energy tech (solar, wind, batteries, etc, etc.) while we hold to fossil fuels to save less than 200,000 jobs.

Intentionally doing damage started with DOGE. So, roughly day 1.

you forgot this is part 2

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#77

Post by bryanlarsen »

ineedaj0b wrote: post #52

We don’t need offshore wind or onshore. Wish the US focused more on Solar. Seems to be the smartest path forward. China understands and is gunning for Nuclear and Solar. Geothermal and wind are nice but too location dependent.

Wind and solar are highly complementary. Wind tends to be peak during evening and morning, and is often stronger at night than during the day. Wind is cheaper than overbuilding solar and adding batteries.

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#78

Post by michelsedgh »

ineedaj0b wrote: post #52

We don’t need offshore wind or onshore. Wish the US focused more on Solar. Seems to be the smartest path forward. China understands and is gunning for Nuclear and Solar. Geothermal and wind are nice but too location dependent.

The big solar plant they made in between Cali and Las Vegas one, it wasn't online more than a few years? It shut down...

Re: US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

#79

Post by jrmg »

blahedo wrote: post #28

I've been wondering all year about what happens when an executive-branch office issues orders that it is not legally qualified to issue; by and large everybody has just... followed them. This may be another example (I don't know quite enough of the legal specifics in this case, though there are certainly others that are more slam-dunk-y in this respect). What are the enforcement mechanisms here if the states in quest…

Short term punishment for states: ICE and the National Guard get sent into cities to make people feel unsafe, under the guise of an ‘immigration emergency’. Perhaps also Marines!

To punish more fully, just illegally withhold federal funds for whatever is most hurtful. Highways? Education? Healthcare?

And to your direct point, I’m sure someone could whip up a reason for the military to take over and shut down the sites if they don’t comply - this _is_ a national security matter after all.

Court system stops any of that? Just comply (or pretend to) with the letter of the ruling and try another barely-distinguishable but arguably different illegal method for the next few months while the gears of the court system grind.

What is _meant_ to stop the executive branch (meant to ‘execute’ the will of Congress, not just follow its own desires) going rogue is impeachment by Congress, but that seems like a far off prospect.

Post reply on HN