Tue, 09 Dec 2025

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 Trump ban on wind energy permits 'unlawful', court rules

An executive order freezing all wind energy projects - both on land and sea - has been struck down by a US judge.
A US court has ruled that President Donald Trump's ban on issuing new wind energy permits was "unlawful". The decision, made by Massachusetts district court judge Patti B Saris, vacated the executive order that had frozen federal approval of pending offshore and onshore wind permits. The states of New York, led by Attorney General Letitia James, had sued the government over the issue, citing the impact on projects such as Empire Wind 1 off the coast of New York, which was designed to power 500,000 homes. According to Judge Saris, federal agencies failed to provide a "reasoned explanation" for the change in policy and justification for the new review process. The court's ruling has been hailed as a "big victory" by James in her fight against climate change. However, industry experts say that while the decision may be symbolic, it is unlikely to reinvigorate the industry immediately, as officials can still deny permits or bog applications down in lengthy reviews.
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