On Monday, a federal judge struck down President Donald Trump’s (R) Executive Order pausing wind energy projects that he signed on Inauguration Day.
The order aimed to prevent any of the Outer Continental Shelf, including the entire coastline of the mainland U.S. and Alaska, from being leased for offshore wind development indefinitely until the president decides to lift the restrictions.
Additionally, the order calls for an immediate review of the federal leasing process for both offshore and onshore wind development, which will consider the potential downsides, including “negative impacts on navigational safety interests, transportation interests, national security interests, commercial interests, and marine mammals.”
The order suggested that current studies showing an environmental benefit from the turbines may be insufficient and requests new studies to assess the various impacts on the environment, economy, and energy grid.
Trump’s order was celebrated at the time by New England fishermen, who have long said heavy industrial activity in the Gulf of Maine would threaten commercially important fisheries.
Until the studies are complete, the federal government said that it would not issue any more offshore or onshore leases, nor renew any that already exist.
[RELATED: Trump Places Indefinite Halt on Offshore Wind Development and New England Fisherman Celebrate]
Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a ruling Monday vacating the order, arguing that the move was unlawful, siding with a coalition of state Attorneys General, including Aaron Frey of Maine.
Attorney General Frey shared a statement Tuesday applauding the decision.
“Mainers care about protecting our environment,” he wrote. “Whatever the federal Administration’s position is on wind power, it does not have the right to arbitrarily ban development of this sustainable energy resource.”
“I am gratified that the Court agreed that the Administration had once again, overstepped,” said Frey. “My colleagues and I will continue to hold Trump accountable to the law.”
The White House has stood by its energy policy positions, reasserting that their stance has proven to be beneficial for America.
“President Trump has ended Joe Biden’s war on American energy and unleashed America’s energy dominance to protect our economic and national security,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement to The Associated Press.
While the states bringing this case allege that the President does not have the authority to pause project permitting, the federal government has argued that the states’ claims represent nothing but a policy disagreement that ought to be settled outside of the courts.
Justice Department lawyer Michael Robertson explained in court that the Executive Order in question paused permitting, but didn’t halt it, allowing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to review the environmental impact of wind projects.
