A federal judge has ruled against the Trump Administration’s order to freeze all federal permitting for wind energy projects, following a lawsuit led by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and 17 other attorneys general. The decision from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated the administration’s actions, finding them arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law.
The legal challenge was filed in May after President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum on January 20 that indefinitely halted all federal approvals necessary for both offshore and onshore wind energy development pending further review. Federal agencies subsequently stopped all permitting and approval activities related to these projects.
Attorney General Nessel stated, “I am relieved that yet another court has stopped the Trump Administration from once again enacting unlawful policies that harm Michigan residents. We must be able to have wind energy projects at our disposal to support clean, reliable, and affordable power for our communities, and I will continue to protect our natural resources, Great Lakes, and Michiganders from illegal actions that put them at risk.”
The coalition of attorneys general argued that the freeze on wind project permits hindered their states’ ability to secure reliable and diversified sources of energy. They also claimed it threatened investments in wind industry infrastructure, supply chains, and workforce development. The lawsuit contended that the administration’s actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act as well as other federal laws by failing to provide a reasoned explanation for halting all approvals and disregarding established procedures and timelines required by law.
Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington joined Nessel in bringing the case.