Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that President Trump’s executive order halting permits for onshore and offshore wind projects violated federal law. The order, issued on January 20, Trump’s first day in office, directed agencies like the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to pause all leasing and approvals for wind energy developments. Saris found the action arbitrary and capricious because the agencies offered no reasoned explanation beyond following the president’s directive, a clear breach of the Administrative Procedure Act.
This decision came after a coalition of 17 states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with the District of Columbia, sued the administration in May. They argued the blanket pause threatened economic growth, jobs, and clean energy goals across regions dependent on wind power. The ruling vacates the order entirely, allowing stalled projects to move forward. For instance, Ørsted A/S (CPSE: ORSTED) and its partners can now resume work on Revolution Wind, a major offshore project off the Northeast coast that faced daily delays costing $2.3 million. Similarly, Equinor ASA (OSE: EQNR, NYSE: EQNR) gained clarity on Empire Wind, though some construction had continued under prior injunctions.
The wind sector had built momentum before the pause. Federal agencies had approved leases and permits for dozens of projects over decades, supporting investments in manufacturing, shipping, and grid upgrades. Oceantic Network, an offshore wind trade group, called the halt unlawful and essential to reverse for national energy needs like grid reliability and steel production. States highlighted risks to public health, affordable power, and climate targets, with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell noting preserved green jobs. The administration countered that the pause enabled reviews of wind’s environmental impacts and energy costs, but the court rejected this as insufficient justification.
For the broader energy industry, this ruling reinforces checks on executive overreach in permitting. Federal agencies must now explain policy shifts, which could slow future attempts to favor fossil fuels over renewables without data. Wind developers face ongoing uncertainties from reviews by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and appeals may reach higher courts. Developers like those at Revolution Wind plan immediate restarts to meet deadlines, but backlogs could delay new leases.
The decision signals stability for investors eyeing U.S. wind capacity, which states need to hit 30GW offshore goals by 2030. It protects billions in private capital from abrupt stops, benefiting supply chains from turbine makers to port operators. Labor unions and coastal economies stand to gain thousands of jobs, while competitors in oil and gas watch for precedent in their own permitting fights. Across the industry, reliable rules matter more than any single policy swing, keeping capital flowing where returns align with demand.Â
