A federal judge ruled Monday that a nearly complete offshore wind project halted by the government can resume, dealing President Trump a setback in his ongoing effort to restrict the fledgling industry. Work on the nearly completed Revolution Wind project for Rhode Island and Connecticut has been paused since Aug. 22, when the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a stop-work order for what it said were national security reasons. The Interior Department agency did not specify those concerns at the time. Both the developer and the two states sued in federal courts, the AP reports.
At a hearing Monday, Judge Royce Lamberth said he considered how Revolution Wind has relied on its federal approval. The delays are costing $2.3 million a day, and if the project can't meet deadlines, the entire enterprise could collapse. After December, the specialized ship needed to complete the project won't be available until at least 2028, he said. More than 1,000 people have been working on the wind farm, which is 80% complete. "There is no question in my mind of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs," Lamberth said, as he granted a preliminary injunction.
Danish energy company Orsted said Monday that construction will resume as soon as possible. An Interior Department spokeswoman said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will continue "its investigation into possible impacts by the project to national security and prevention of other uses on the Outer Continental Shelf." The Sierra Club said the ruling "reaffirms that Donald Trump and his administration's attacks on clean energy are not only reckless and harmful to our communities, but they are also illegal." At the White House, a spokeswoman said Trump was elected with a mandate to "restore our country's energy dominance—which includes prioritizing the most effective and reliable tools to power our country. This will not be the final say on the matter."
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