A federal judge invalidated President Donald Trump’s executive order that aimed to stop wind-energy development, ruling the move to pause nearly all leasing of wind farms on federal lands and waters to be arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful under U.S. law.
Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts voided Trump’s January 20 order and sided with a coalition of state attorneys general from 17 states plus Washington, D.C., led by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The challenge argued that the Day One order effectively halted permitting for wind-energy projects and overstepped presidential authority.
The decision comes as the former president has shown skepticism toward renewable energy—especially offshore wind—and has prioritized fossil fuels for electricity production.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell welcomed the ruling, calling it a win for green jobs and renewable energy. “Massachusetts has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into offshore wind, and today, we successfully protected those important investments from the Trump administration’s unlawful order,” Campbell said.
James expressed gratitude that the court intervened, describing the ruling as a check on what she termed the administration’s reckless and unlawful push against clean energy. “As New Yorkers face rising energy costs, we need more energy sources, not fewer. Wind energy benefits the environment, the economy, and communities,” she added.
The coalition argued that Trump lacked the authority to stop project permitting and warned that halting approvals would jeopardize states’ economies, diverse energy mixes, public health, and climate goals.
Representing the coalition are states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Washington, D.C. They contend that substantial investments have already been made to develop wind energy and to upgrade transmission infrastructure to deliver wind power to consumers.
The government contended that the dispute amounts to a policy disagreement about wind versus fossil-fuel development and falls outside the federal courts’ jurisdiction. A Department of Justice attorney argued in court that the order paused permitting rather than halted it entirely, while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum continued reviewing environmental impacts of wind projects.
The executive order had cited alleged legal deficiencies in federal leasing and permitting for wind projects under the Biden administration.
Earlier stages of the case allowed action against Burgum but not against Trump or other Cabinet secretaries. Judge William Young permitted the states to pursue claims that blocking permits for wind energy projects violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs how regulations are enacted, though it does not address constitutional issues.
Wind power remains the largest source of renewable energy in the United States, supplying roughly 10% of the nation’s electricity, according to the American Clean Power Association.
Officials from the Interior Department and the White House did not respond to immediate requests for comment. Previously, the White House accused the Democratic attorneys general of using lawfare to undermine the administration’s energy agenda.
Advocates for clean energy, like Marguerite Wells of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, emphasized wind as a crucial element of a reliable grid. She noted wind is among the most cost-effective power sources globally and urged that, with the ruling, projects be evaluated on their merits.
Kit Kennedy of the Natural Resources Defense Council hailed the decision as a win for consumers, workers, U.S. businesses, clean air, and the climate. Kennedy argued that the Trump era’s pause on wind projects harmed grid reliability and consumer bills, urging the administration to respect the ruling and support renewable-energy expansion.
