Blue states and wind energy advocates scored a key victory Monday, when a federal judge in Massachusetts overturned President Donald Trump’s sweeping pause on new wind development.
The “Wind Order,” issued by Trump on his first day in office, directed agencies to stop issuing new permits, leases and other approvals for onshore and offshore wind projects while the new administration reviewed its permitting and leasing processes. The directive was quickly followed by agency orders freezing new wind development.
Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said the directive was arbitrary and capricious.
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“The Wind Order is declared unlawful … and is VACATED in its entirety,” Saris wrote in a memorandum opinion.
