The US offshore wind sector has won a lawsuit against the Trump administration after a federal judge overruled the moratorium on wind development.
Donald Trump signed an executive order that paused new offshore wind activity in the US on his first day in office. In late January, the administration announced a temporary withdrawal of all areas in the OCS for new or renewed wind energy leasing pending a federal review.
What was supposed to be a six-month moratorium on offshore wind was extended way beyond that, with no end in sight. However, this moratorium was found to be unlawful in the District Court for Massachusetts.
The court dismantled the federal permitting ban on wind energy initiatives imposed by the government.
US District Court Judge Patti Saris ruled on Monday that Trump’s executive order to cancel all wind projects on federal land and water was “arbitrary and capricious… and violated federal law”. It is unclear if the Trump administration will appeal the ruling.
“At a time when utility prices are skyrocketing, Trump’s job-killing freeze would only increase costs. Proud to fight—and win—for NJ families in court,” said Matt Platkin, New Jersey attorney general.
The lawsuit, filed in May, stated that such a move was “unlawful and can jeopardise the continued development of a power source critical to the states’ economic vitality, energy mix, public health, and climate goals.”
The court action was brought by 17 state attorneys general, joined by the attorney general from the District of Columbia. New York and Massachusetts spearheaded the move since the Trump administration hit offshore wind projects in those states the hardest.
The states argued that stopping federal permitting could potentially wipe out some $100bn in investments and put 40,000 jobs at risk if the ban were to continue during Trump’s entire term in office.
“The US District Court’s decision to uphold New York’s nation-leading offshore wind programme is a major victory for our state and the entire region. The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to block these projects, risking blackouts and thousands of good-paying jobs. I’ll always fight like hell to protect New Yorkers, and today’s decision shows that fight matters,” stated Kathy Hochul, New York governor.
