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Court overturns Trump's wind energy permit ban
A federal judge in Massachusetts has struck down President Donald Trump's executive order halting new wind energy permits, calling the move "arbitrary and capricious." The ruling, issued Monday by District Judge Patti B. Saris, restores the permitting process for offshore and onshore wind projects across the U.S.
Background: Trump's executive order
In January, Trump signed an order freezing federal approvals for wind energy permits, disrupting dozens of projects already in progress. The administration cited a need for a broader review of permitting practices but provided no timeline for completion.
Seventeen states and a New York-based clean energy coalition filed suit, arguing the freeze violated administrative law. A key point of contention was the Empire Wind 1 project-a planned offshore wind farm near New York designed to power 500,000 homes.
Judge's ruling: No justification for indefinite freeze
Judge Saris ruled that federal agencies failed to offer a "reasoned explanation" for the sudden policy shift. She wrote that agencies cannot suspend permit reviews "altogether, for an unspecified time," particularly when no end date for the review was set.
"The agencies provided no justification for declining to review applications while a sweeping assessment was underway."
Judge Patti B. Saris, U.S. District Court for Massachusetts
Impact on wind energy projects
The freeze had already caused delays for major projects, including New Jersey's Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, which promised nearly $2 billion in economic benefits, and Massachusetts' SouthCoast Wind, which would have added thousands of megawatts of clean energy. A New York transmission line linking offshore wind farms to the city's grid was also scaled back.
While the Trump administration later allowed work on Empire Wind to resume, the broader permit freeze led developers and investors to reconsider or abandon plans, state officials argued.
Reactions: Victory for climate advocates, skepticism from analysts
New York Attorney General Letitia James celebrated the ruling in a social media post, calling it "a big victory in our fight to keep tackling the climate crisis."
"We won our lawsuit and stopped the Trump administration from blocking an array of new wind energy projects."
Letitia James, New York Attorney General
However, Timothy Fox, managing director at ClearView Energy Partners, downplayed the ruling's practical impact. "It's more symbolic than substantive," he said. "The court is simply saying agencies must process applications-but they could still deny them or drag out reviews indefinitely."
Trump's stance on wind energy
Trump has long opposed wind energy, calling turbines "big, ugly windmills" that harm wildlife. During his presidential campaign, he pledged to expand fossil fuel production under the slogan "drill, baby, drill."
Shortly after taking office, he declared, "We're not going to do the wind thing," and has repeatedly claimed-without evidence-that wind turbines kill whales. Before his presidency, Trump unsuccessfully fought the construction of a wind farm near his golf resort in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
What's next for Empire Wind and other projects
Empire Wind, developed by Norway's Equinor, is expected to take two years to complete, with full operation targeted for late 2027. The ruling removes the immediate legal barrier to permitting, but analysts warn that regulatory hurdles could persist.
