Federal judge hands Trump admin loss on offshore wind crackdown
A federal judge overturned an order by the Interior Department halting construction of a $6.2 billion offshore wind project. Danish offshore wind developer Orsted will now be able to resume work on its Revolution Wing project.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth's ruling represents a legal setback for the Trump administration, which has sought to block the expansion of offshore wind projects in federal waters. This is the second time in four months that the Revolution Wind project has scored a victory over the federal government, according to Reuters.
FEDERAL JUDGE RULES AGAINST TRUMP ADMIN, ALLOWS OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT TO RESUME
Orsted explains on its website that "Revolution Wind is a 704-megawatt (MW) offshore wind farm located in federal waters 15 miles south of the Rhode Island coast, 32 miles southeast of the Connecticut coast, and 12 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard." The company says the project, which began in 2023, will be able to provide clean energy to more than 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut when fully operational, making it the first multi-state offshore wind project in the country.
"Revolution Wind will determine how best it may be possible to work with the U.S. Administration to achieve an expeditious and durable resolution," Orsted said in a statement after Lamberth granted the preliminary injunction. "The project will resume construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority, and to deliver affordable, reliable power to the Northeast."
Government attorneys reportedly argued that the pause was justified by new information regarding impacts on national security that the War Department revealed to the Department of the Interior in November, Reuters reported. The outlet said Lamberth rejected the argument and said the project would be irreparably harmed without the injunction.
"You want to stop everything in place, costing them one-and-a-half million a day, while you decide what you want to do?" Lamberth asked Justice Department attorney Peter Torstensen during the hearing, according to Reuters.
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The U.S. Bureau of Energy Management issued a stop-work order on Aug. 22 for Revolution Wind, which was 80% complete with offshore foundations in place and 45 of 65 wind turbines installed at the time.
Fox News Digital's Pilar Arias contributed to this report.