Boston delivers blow to Trump’s offshore wind ban

Ruling in favour of 17 states, including Washington, DC, Massachusetts and New York, the judge found Section Two of the January 20 ‘Wind Order’ unlawful and overturned the federal agencies’ pause to permitting.

Judge Patti B. Saris ruled that the indefinite pause was ‘arbitrary and capricious’ because the agencies failed to explain why a total suspension was necessary or acknowledge the reliant interests of states and developers who have invested billions, said the Oceantic Network, which represents the sector in the US.

She could not find ‘a rational relationship between the “cursory” reasoning in the Wind Memo’ and the “immense scope of the moratorium”, the network said, and found the halt order ‘contrary to law’.

“Today’s decision is welcome news, not just for the thousands of American workers and businesses across 40 states supporting offshore wind in the US, but also for the critical relief the wind industry will provide to lower sky-rocketing electricity prices for millions of American families with reliable, affordable power,” said Oceantic CEO Liz Burdock.

In September, a federal judge ruled that the 80% completed Revolution Wind project for Rhode Island and Connecticut could go ahead despite being paused in August following a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management stop work order.

Danish energy company Ørsted and its joint venture partner Skyborn Renewables sought a preliminary injunctio n in US District Court in Washington, DC, that would allow them to move forward with the project.

Section One of the Wind Order, which halted all wind energy leasing, remains in effect.