Patrick Pouyanné

Total Energy CEO Patrick Pouyanné describes the agreement to forfeit its leases for U.S.

offshore wind farms as, quote, innovative.

Pouyanné says the company will reinvest some of the money into natural gas and liquefied natural gas projects.

Those energy sources release major amounts of planet heating greenhouse gases.

It's the latest blow to the offshore wind industry from the Trump administration.

Announcing this new deal at Sierra Week by S&P Global Conference, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said offshore wind poses risks to national security.

The administration has so far not specified what those risks are.

Offshore wind is a reliable source of electricity in countries like the U.K.

and Denmark.

Julia Simon, NPR News, Houston.