A federal judge has struck down a Trump administration directive that halted all federal permitting for wind energy projects, handing a significant victory to Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a coalition of 18 attorneys general who challenged the freeze.
The ruling, issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, vacated the administration’s actions as “arbitrary and capricious” and contrary to federal law. The decision clears the way for offshore and onshore wind projects that had been stalled since January, when former President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to indefinitely suspend approvals pending further review.
Brown said the court’s decision protects both Maryland residents and the state’s climate goals. “This decision is a win for Maryland families struggling to afford their utility bills and for the workers paid to build our state’s renewable energy infrastructure,” he said, adding that the lawsuit preserves a pathway to “a cleaner, safer environment for our children.”
Gov. Wes Moore also praised the ruling, calling it “a clear victory for Marylanders.” He said halting wind projects had threatened efforts to keep energy costs down. “Lowering energy costs requires investing in solutions that work,” Moore said. “Expanding clean, reliable wind power is one of the most effective tools we have.”
The coalition of states sued in May, arguing that federal agencies had unlawfully stopped permitting activities in response to Trump’s Jan. 20 presidential memorandum. The lawsuit contended that the freeze jeopardized states’ access to reliable and affordable energy, hindered emissions reduction efforts, and put billions of dollars in public and private investments at risk.
Maryland has made wind energy a central component of its climate strategy, which requires the state to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. In 2023, the state set a target of developing 8,500 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2031 and has committed substantial funding to workforce development and supply-chain infrastructure to support the industry.
State officials say the wind sector is poised to bring thousands of well-paying jobs and long-term economic benefits, all of which were threatened by the permitting halt.
The attorneys general argued that the Trump administration’s blanket freeze violated the Administrative Procedure Act by offering no “reasoned explanation” for indefinitely suspending approvals. They also said the order ignored multiple federal statutes that require specific procedures and timelines for reviewing and approving energy projects.
“Today, we celebrate another victory against the Trump Administration. A court has agreed with California and our sister states nationwide: The Trump Administration’s attempt to thwart states’ efforts to make energy more clean, reliable, and affordable for our residents is unlawful and cannot stand,” said California Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration seems intent on raising costs on American families at every juncture — and California is equally committed to challenging every one of its illegal attempts to make life more expensive for Californians.”
“Wind energy is a key component in Illinois’ transition to a renewable energy future,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “The Trump administration’s attempt to effectively halt all wind energy development was illegal and baseless. I am pleased with the court’s decision, and I will continue to push back against the president’s unlawful actions.”
“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,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “This critical victory also preserves well-paying green jobs and access to reliable, affordable energy that will help Massachusetts meet our clean energy and climate goals.”
“I am pleased to have defeated Donald Trump’s senseless attack on wind energy,” said Minnesota Attorney General Ellison. “Minnesotans are counting on our state to keep energy costs as low as possible, help create good paying jobs, and combat climate change, and wind energy is helping us achieve all those goals. In fact, wind already supplies a quarter of all electricity in Minnesota. I will continue to do everything I can to stand up to the Trump Administration when it tramples on our rights or makes it harder for Minnesotans to afford their lives.”
“The Trump Administration cannot cancel clean energy projects just because they believe doing so is politically expedient, and yesterday’s win reaffirms this,” said Michigan Attorney General Neronha. “The truth is, Americans rely on their leadership to embrace clean, affordable energy solutions to curb the harmful effects of climate change and the increasingly volatile costs of fossil fuels. Rhode Islanders and Americans everywhere continue to pay the price, quite literally, for a collective hesitancy in embracing clean energy infrastructure. And we certainly aren’t going to stand by while the President arbitrarily attempts to curb what progress we’ve made. We’ve fought him here and won; we’ve fought him over his unlawful attempt to cancel the Revolution Wind project and we are winning; and we will continue to fight where this Administration causes harm to the American people.”
Brown was joined in the lawsuit by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
