A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has paused a stop-work order issued by the Trump Administration that sought to halt a nearly complete offshore wind development off the coast of Rhode Island. Ørsted, the developer of Revolution Wind, sued the Trump Administration after the Department of the Interior announced it was pausing leases for offshore wind projects along the East Coast, citing national security concerns. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in response.
“How many times does this administration have to lose in court before it stops trying to block affordable clean energy,” asked Kate Sinding Daly, senior vice president for law and policy at CLF. “Our courts have already made clear that permits grounded in law cannot be undone on political whims. Rigorously reviewed clean energy projects should be allowed to move forward, deliver people affordable power, and battle one of the greatest threats to national security – climate change.”
Judge Royce Lamberth issued the injunction and concluded that Ørsted would suffer irreparable harm if the stop-work order were allowed to continue. Revolution Wind will deliver power to up to 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island, providing affordable clean energy.
Developers of other offshore wind projects included in the stop work order have separately sued the administration.
Attorney General Neronha, Attorney General Tong, and Ørsted secure a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration, preserving the Revolution Wind project
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha today issued the following statement after securing a preliminary injunction in the Washington, D.C. federal court against the Trump Administration, allowing work on the Revolution Wind project to proceed.
“We refuse to accept this Administration’s unlawful attempts to hinder progress on the Revolution Wind project, and today’s legal victory reaffirms that we are right on the law,” said Attorney General Neronha. “A year into the Trump Administration, their approach to governing is well-worn: attack any policy or project the President doesn’t like without regard for the law, Congress, or the American people, and leave it to the lawyers to present disingenuous, often illogical arguments to defend these decisions in court. For this reason, we continue to win, and they continue to lose. The harm here, and potential for further harm here, is well-documented. Rhode Island and Connecticut rely on this project for energy pricing stability and affordability, electric grid reliability, environmental health, good-paying union jobs, and more. The law takes precedent over the political whims of one man, and we will continue to fight to make sure that remains the case.”
“Today’s court decision puts Revolution Wind back on track, despite the Trump Administration’s latest attempt to derail this important project,” said Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee. “Rhode Island’s families are dealing with escalating energy costs, and they need relief sooner rather than later. Revolution Wind provides that relief in the form of affordable energy generated in our own backyard—energy that is on track to power 200,000 Rhode Island homes within the year! Revolution Wind also benefits our state by creating good-paying jobs and producing clean energy to support our climate goals.”
“Today’s federal court order requiring the Trump Administration to resume the Revolution Wind project is good news for Rhode Island,” said United States Representative Seth Magaziner (Democrat, Rhode Island). “Trump has tried to stop this project twice, and he has failed twice. Enough already. It is cold out, and people are struggling with high energy bills. The Trump Administration must let Revolution Wind go live so Rhode Islanders can benefit from more clean, affordable energy.”