Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, alongside a coalition of 18 attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration. The suit challenges the administration's decision to halt wind energy development.
"Massachusetts has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into offshore wind to ensure our residents have access to well-paying green jobs and reliable, affordable energy that helps meet our clean energy and climate goals," stated AG Campbell. She criticized the President’s actions as contradictory to his claims about the need for reliable domestic energy.
On January 20, a Presidential Memorandum was issued by President Trump, stopping all federal approvals for both offshore and onshore wind energy projects pending review. This directive halted permitting activities, affecting projects like one in New York which had already begun construction.
The attorneys general argue that this move undermines their states' efforts to secure diversified and affordable energy sources needed for electricity demand and emissions reduction. They claim it also jeopardizes significant investments in wind industry infrastructure.
In Massachusetts, legislation passed in 2022 aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through renewable projects such as wind energy. The state currently has three offshore wind projects underway expected to power 1.4 million homes once completed. However, these plans are threatened by the federal approval freeze which could lead to increased energy costs for New England customers by 2050.
The coalition asserts that the President’s directive violates several federal laws including the Administrative Procedure Act due to its lack of reasoned explanation and abrupt policy reversal inconsistent with other recent federal actions supporting different forms of energy.
Through this lawsuit, they seek a court declaration deeming the directive illegal and an injunction preventing further delays or prevention of wind energy development.
Joining AG Campbell are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.