Federal Judge Strikes Down President Trump’s Freeze On Wind Energy Permits
A federal judge has struck down a sweeping executive action by President Donald Trump that had halted all new federal wind energy leasing and permitting.
Seventeen states, Washington, D.C., and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York sued the administration, arguing the freeze violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). On Monday, U.S. District Judge Patti Saris agreed, ruling that the federal agencies’ implementation of the Wind Order was “arbitrary and capricious.” According to Saris — who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton in 1993 — the government failed to provide any reasoned explanation for halting permits beyond the president’s directive itself, and did not meaningfully analyze the environmental, economic, or procedural issues relevant to such a sweeping freeze.
Trump’s directive — issued on January 20, 2025, and commonly called the Wind Memo — ordered an immediate, indefinite withdrawal of all areas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from eligibility for offshore wind leasing. It also imposed a government-wide moratorium on issuing new or renewed approvals for both onshore and offshore wind projects pending an extensive review of environmental, economic, and permitting practices.
While existing leases were not automatically voided, the order required a comprehensive reassessment of whether they should be amended or terminated. The memorandum also directed additional reviews of the Lava Ridge onshore wind project, the impact of defunct wind turbines on communities, and invited the Justice Department to seek stays in related litigation.
“Plaintiffs have challenged ‘the Agency Defendants’ actions under the’ Wind Memo, not the Wind Memo itself,” Saris wrote. “The proof is in the pudding: No permits have issued since the issue was promulgated, and The Agency Defendants acknowledge they will not issue any permits at least until they complete the Comprehensive Assessment, for which there is no timeline.”
The White House defended Trump’s policy, arguing that the Biden administration had unfairly favored offshore wind projects while burdening other forms of energy.
“Under Joe Biden’s Green New Scam, offshore wind projects were given unfair, preferential treatment while the rest of the energy industry was hindered by burdensome regulations,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers declared. “President Trump’s day one executive order instructed agencies to review leases and permitting practices for wind projects with consideration for our country’s growing demands for reliable energy, effects on energy costs for American families, the importance of marine life and fishing industry, and the impacts on ocean currents and wind patterns. President Trump has ended Joe Biden’s war on American energy and unleashed America’s energy dominance to protect our economic and national security.”
Originally Published at Daily Wire, Daily Signal, or The Blaze
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