Judge Blocks Trump's Wind Energy Leasing Ban on Federal Lands and Waters
U.S. District Judge Patti Saris in Massachusetts vacated former President Donald Trump's January 20 executive order that blocked wind-energy leasing and permitting on federal lands and waters. The judge ruled the order unlawful and characterized it as arbitrary and capricious.
The ruling sided with a coalition of 17 states and Washington, DC, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell also involved. The coalition argued that Trump lacked the authority to halt permitting and contended the order violated the Administrative Procedure Act by pausing permitting instead of halting it altogether.
Wind energy represents about 10% of U.S. electricity generation, and the states in the coalition have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in offshore wind projects and upgrading transmission lines to support clean energy.
The White House criticized the decision, asserting that the current administration's energy policy supports wind energy development. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice stated the dispute was a policy disagreement beyond federal jurisdiction and maintained the original order paused permitting rather than fully halting it.
A prior ruling allowed claims to proceed against the U.S. interior secretary but dismissed claims against Trump and other cabinet secretaries.
