The US Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division, filed a Notice of Appeal on February 17 in response to a federal judge’s ruling favoring 18 states that sued the Trump administration over the wind energy project ban.
In May 2025, seventeen US states and the District of Columbia sued the Presidential Memorandum issued on January 20, known as the “Wind Order,” warning it could harm the wind industry and delay renewable energy progress.
In December 2025, Judge Patti B. Saris of the District Court for Massachusetts ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, declaring section two of the “Wind Order” unlawful, vacating the order “in its entirety”. Section one, pausing all wind energy leasing activities by federal agencies, remained in effect.
The summary judgment was issued on December 8, with the final judgment filed on December 18.
The January 20 Presidential Memorandum indefinitely halts leasing on the US Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and approvals for onshore and offshore wind energy projects.
Section 1 of the order allows leasing for other purposes, like oil and gas, and doesn’t affect existing leases in withdrawn areas. Section 2 stops new approvals and leases for wind projects until “a comprehensive assessment and review of Federal wind leasing and permitting practices” is done.
Although fully permitted projects were initially unaffected, the government paused Empire Wind 1 construction in April last year, followed by a halt on Revolution Wind, then 80% complete, in August 2025.
Empire Wind 1 was halted in April 2025 for further review after claims the Biden administration rushed approval. It resumed in May 2025 following discussions with officials.
Revolution Wind’s pause in August 2025 aimed to address concerns related to the President’s Memorandum. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) noted a focus on “concerns related to the protection of national security interests and prevention of interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone”, as per the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA).
Both projects were paused again on December 22, 2025, post final judgment by the federal court. The Department of the Interior (DOI) issued a stop-work order for all offshore wind farms under construction, citing national security review following a classified Department of War report.
Five projects paused included Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) and Vineyard Wind 1, near completion. All five projects took legal action and were granted a preliminary injunction by federal courts to resume construction.
Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz