Overview
- U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris struck down President Trump’s Jan. 20 order halting new wind leasing and permitting, finding it unlawful under the Administrative Procedure Act.
- A coalition of 17 states, Washington, D.C., and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York prevailed after showing ongoing or imminent harms such as deferred tax revenues, economic losses, and delayed power generation.
- The ruling removes the blanket pause yet preserves agency authority over individual permits and leaves other overlapping policies and reviews in place.
- The administration had used the order to stall or stop projects, including issuing stop‑work directives for Revolution Wind and Empire Wind, and canceling more than $679 million in offshore wind‑related funding.
- The White House declined to say whether it will appeal or when leasing and permitting might resume, prolonging uncertainty for developers and states.