Trump admin finds yet another way to attack offshore wind
The Trump administration is challenging existing federal permits for multiple East Coast offshore wind projects, citing legal concerns and siding with opponents to reopen approvals.
The Justice Department filed a motion Tuesday asking a federal court to reconsider a construction permit for New England Wind, a 2-gigawatt offshore project off Massachusetts, arguing the Interior Department’s prior approval lacked sufficient justification under federal law. The filing follows similar requests to revisit permits for Revolution Wind, a 704-megawatt operational project off Connecticut and Rhode Island, and Maryland Offshore Wind, a proposed 1.7-gigawatt project near Ocean City, Maryland. The administration’s actions align with legal challenges from groups like ACK for Whales and Green Oceans, which oppose the projects on grounds including marine life protection and commercial fishing impacts.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly targeted offshore wind since January 2025, pausing construction on in-progress projects, offering payments to companies to abandon leases, and eliminating offshore wind tax credits. The latest tactic—reopening approved permits—could create uncertainty for all large infrastructure projects, according to legal experts, as it undermines the stability of federal approvals already granted under the Biden administration.
Interior has also moved to reevaluate permits for Atlantic Shores off New Jersey and SouthCoast Wind off Massachusetts, following a judge’s August ruling allowing the reviews. The agency insists its filings comply with court schedules and do not reflect a policy shift, despite repeated statements to the same effect after prior permit challenges. The administration’s actions coincide with bipartisan congressional efforts to pass a permitting bill aimed at preventing arbitrary cancellations of energy projects.
Opponents, including the Town of Ocean City, argue federal approvals for projects like Maryland Offshore Wind bypassed environmental and safety requirements. US Wind, the developer behind Maryland Offshore Wind, defended its project, stating federal agencies properly issued permits after a decade of analysis and that courts are likely to uphold their validity.