WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� A federal judge on Monday struck down President Donald Trump鈥檚 executive order blocking wind energy projects, saying the effort to halt virtually all leasing of wind farms on federal lands and waters was 鈥渁rbitrary and capricious鈥� and violates U.S. law.
Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated Trump鈥檚 Jan. 20 blocking wind energy projects and declared it unlawful.
Saris ruled in favor of a coalition of state attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C., led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, that challenged that paused leasing and permitting for wind energy projects.
Trump has been , particularly offshore wind, and .
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell hailed the ruling as a victory for green jobs and renewable energy.
鈥淢assachusetts has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into offshore wind, and today, we successfully protected those important investments from the Trump administration鈥檚 unlawful order,鈥� Campbell said in a statement.
James said she was grateful the court stepped in 鈥渢o block the administration鈥檚 reckless and unlawful crusade against clean energy.鈥�
鈥淎s New Yorkers face rising energy costs, we need more energy sources, not fewer,” James said. 鈥淲ind energy is good for our environment, our economy, and our communities.”
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Monday night that offshore wind projects were given unfair, preferential treatment during the Biden administration while the rest of the energy industry was hindered by burdensome regulations.
鈥淧resident Trump has ended Joe Biden鈥檚 war on American energy and unleashed America鈥檚 energy dominance to protect our economic and national security,鈥� Rogers said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The coalition that opposed Trump’s order argued that Trump doesn鈥檛 have the authority to halt project permitting, and that doing so jeopardizes the states鈥� economies, energy mix, public health and climate goals.
The coalition includes Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington state and Washington, D.C. They say they鈥檝e invested hundreds of millions of dollars collectively to develop wind energy and even more on upgrading transmission lines to bring wind energy to the electrical grid.
The government argued that the states鈥� claims amount to nothing more than a policy disagreement over preferences for wind versus fossil fuel energy development that is outside the federal court鈥檚 jurisdiction. Justice Department lawyer Michael Robertson said in court that the wind order paused permitting, but didn鈥檛 halt it, while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum reviews the environmental impact of wind projects.
The executive order said there were 鈥渁lleged legal deficiencies underlying the federal government鈥檚 leasing and permitting鈥� of wind projects under the Biden administration.
A previous judge in the case allowed it to proceed against Burgum, but dismissed an action against Trump and other Cabinet secretaries. Judge William Young allowed the states to proceed with claims that blocking permits for wind energy projects violates the Administrative Procedure Act, which outlines a detailed process for enacting regulations, but not the Constitution.
Wind is the United States’ largest source of renewable energy, providing about 10% of the electricity generated in the nation, according to the American Clean Power Association.
Marguerite Wells, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, said wind energy is a key component of powering the nation’s electric grid.
Wind 鈥渋s currently one of the most cost-effective ways to generate power and is being used successfully not only in the United States, but across the world,” she said. 鈥淲ith this ruling behind us, projects can now be judged on their merits. We thank the attorneys general who helped us get this case over the finish line.鈥�
Kit Kennedy of the Natural Resources Defense Council called the decision a win for consumers, union workers, U.S. businesses, clean air and the climate.
鈥淔rom the beginning of its time in office, the Trump administration put a halt to the wind energy projects that are needed to keep utility bills in check and the grid reliable,” Kennedy said.
The wind order 鈥渉as been a devastating blow to workers, electricity customers, and the reliability of the power grid,” she said, adding that the Trump administration “should use this (ruling) as a wake-up call, stop its illegal actions and get out of the way of the expansion of renewable energy.”
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