Federal Court Strikes Down Trump Administration Freeze on Wind Energy Permits

OCEAN CITY, MD - A federal judge has ruled in favor of a multistate coalition of attorneys general led in part by Maryland and Delaware, striking down the Trump administration's order to freeze all federal permitting for wind energy projects.

The decision, issued December 7, 2025 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, vacates the administration's indefinite halt on federal approvals for both offshore and onshore wind development-an action the court found "arbitrary and capricious" and contrary to federal law.

The ruling comes after a coalition of 18 attorneys general filed suit in May challenging the administration's January 20, 2025 Presidential Memorandum, which had suspended all permitting and review activities for wind projects across the country.

According to the lawsuit, federal agencies immediately stopped processing permits essential for states seeking to expand renewable energy generation.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown praised the court's decision, emphasizing its impact on both consumers and workers.

"This decision is a win for Maryland families struggling to afford their utility bills and for the workers paid to build our State's renewable energy infrastructure," Brown said. "Our lawsuit safeguards wind energy development that would lead to lower utility costs and preserves a pathway to ensure a cleaner, safer environment for our children."

Maryland Governor Wes Moore also lauded the outcome, framing the ruling as a protection against rising energy costs.

"This decision is a clear victory for Marylanders," Moore said. "Lowering energy costs requires investing in solutions that work, and expanding clean, reliable wind power is one of the most effective tools we have. Maryland is moving forward by cutting red tape and advancing the infrastructure that strengthens our economy."

The attorneys general argued that the permitting freeze jeopardized states' efforts to develop affordable, reliable, and diversified energy sources-key to meeting growing electricity demand, reducing emissions, and achieving climate goals.

For Maryland, wind energy is a central component of its statutory commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 but not everyone agrees with it.

The state has also set a goal of developing 8,500 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2031 and invested heavily in workforce development and supply-chain infrastructure to support the sector.

Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings, who joined the multistate coalition, issued a sharp rebuke of the administration's actions.

"It is almost unbelievable that this Administration would choose to make energy more expensive for Americans during an affordability crisis, but that's exactly what they did," Jennings said. "Their actions were bad for consumers, bad for the environment, and plainly against the law. I'm thrilled that we stopped them in their tracks."

Jennings also highlighted broader efforts to defend wind development in the region, including filing an amicus brief opposing the cancellation of a fully permitted offshore wind project off the coasts of Delaware and Maryland.

She noted that the Trump administration has issued stop-work orders or attempted to revoke approvals for multiple wind projects in the Northeast.

Despite the coalition's victory, not all Maryland leaders welcomed the ruling. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan issued a statement expressing disappointment, arguing that the lawsuit was unnecessary and that offshore wind development poses risks to Maryland's coast.

"Although we are disappointed with the ruling by the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts on President Trump's order to stop new permits and approvals for offshore wind projects, the ruling does not impact the US Wind Project because that project already had federal approval," Meehan said. "We question why Attorney General Anthony Brown felt the need to spend Maryland taxpayer dollars on this lawsuit at all."

Meehan urged state leadership to pursue alternative energy strategies.

"Instead of working to promote costly and unreliable offshore wind projects that require massive state subsidies at the expense of destroying Maryland's coastline, we would encourage Attorney General Anthony Brown to focus on working toward developing responsible, cost-effective energy solutions that benefit Marylanders-not foreign corporations and hedge funds," he said.

The coalition supporting the lawsuit included attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.

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