Two weeks ago, the Trump Administration told the builders of a $4 billion offshore wind energy project already 80% complete under valid federal permits—to stop construction. Now, the company which owns and is building the project, and the two states which will directly benefit from its clean energy power, have filed lawsuits to keep the construction going.
“Today, Revolution Wind, a joint venture between Ørsted and a consortium led by Skyborn Renewables (a Global Infrastructure Partners platform company), filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the stop-work order from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), to be followed by a request for a Preliminary Injunction,” said a news release from the builders. “Revolution Wind secured all required federal and state permits in 2023, following reviews that began more than nine years ago. Federal reviews and approvals included the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Marine Fisheries Service, and several other agencies. Revolution Wind has spent and committed billions of dollars in reliance upon this fulsome review process.
”On the same day, the Attorneys General of Connecticut and Rhode Island filed a separate federal lawsuit seeking an order barring the Trump Administration from interfering in the construction. “The August 22 stop work order issued by the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) did not identify any violation of law or imminent threat to safety. The order abstractly cites BOEM’s authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), ordering the stop so that the agency may address unidentified “concerns.” No explanation was provided,” said their joint press release. “The complaint, to be filed against the Department of the Interior, BOEM and their appointed leaders alleges that such arbitrary and capricious government conduct violates both the Administrative Procedure Act and the government’s authority under OCSLA. Both laws “demand reasoned decision-making, fidelity to statutory limits, and respect for the settled expectations of sovereign States and regulated parties.” “The States of Connecticut and Rhode Island sue to vindicate those principles. They seek to restore the rule of law, protect their energy and economic interests, and ensure that the federal government honors its commitments.”
The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued a statement on the Trump Administration’s action which calls out the foolhardy nature of their actions. “Donald Trump and his administration are doing everything they can to raise energy prices for hardworking families and kill clean energy jobs. Energy prices are already going up as communities across the country continue to experience climate-fueled extreme weather and energy demand is rising — it makes absolutely no sense to be taking affordable clean energy offline,” said LCV Local Clean Energy Deployment Director Kathleen Meil. “The administration just tried this with another offshore wind project, and when they were called on it, they redacted an entire 27 page study rather than admit the truth: Donald Trump wants to kill affordable clean energy because he cares more about Big Polluters than families’ pocketbooks, what’s best for communities, and our kids’ future.”
