Overview
- U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris found the day-one memo halting most federal leasing and permitting for wind projects arbitrary and capricious and vacated the order.
- The lawsuit by 17 states, Washington, D.C., and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York showed ongoing economic harms and delayed power deliveries under the freeze.
- The decision removes the blanket moratorium but preserves agency authority to challenge or revoke permits on a project-by-project basis.
- The White House defended the policy and has not said whether it will appeal, leaving unclear how Interior and BOEM will process pending wind leases and permits.
- Developers and state officials hailed the ruling as work proceeds on projects such as Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind, even as earlier funding cuts and tougher reviews persist.