PROVIDENCE – Construction can now resume on the Revolution Wind project after a federal judge on Monday overturned the Trump administration’s Aug. 22 stop-work order on the offshore wind project.
U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lambreth in Washington, D.C., ruled the stop-work order issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to be “arbitrary and capricious” and granted Revolution Wind developer Orsted A/S' request for a preliminary injunction.
On Sept. 4, Orsted filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the stop-work order. That same day, R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Conn. Attorney General William Tong filed a federal lawsuit challenging the stop-work order.
On Monday, Neronha hailed the judge’s decision.
“Today’s legal victory in Washington, D.C. reaffirms what we know to be true: this president cannot cancel clean energy projects just because he believes doing so is politically expedient for him,” Neronha said. “Today’s win is fantastic news for Rhode Island workers and families who want to see stability in energy costs and less reliance on fossil fuels. We look forward to moving forward with our case.”
Gov. Daniel J. McKee also welcomed the ruling.
“Today’s court decision on Revolution Wind reaffirms what I’ve been saying from day one: Halting a fully permitted project that is already 80% complete harms Rhode Island families, businesses, and workers," McKee said in an emailed statement to Providence Business News. "I am encouraged by this ruling that will put people back to work. I remain optimistic that the courts will continue to recognize the legitimacy and importance of this project to our jobs and our energy future."
Revolution Wind, being developed by Orsted A/S, and Skyborn is currently 80% complete and was on track to deliver 704 megawatts of clean energy to more than 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island by 2026. ISO New England, the entity responsible for operating the electric grid in the region, has warned that delaying the project would increase risks to reliability.
The halt also sidelined hundreds of workers. While the government had cited national security concerns, Lambreth ultimately ruled that the stop-work order lacked factual findings.
(UPDATE: Comment from Gov. Daniel J. McKee added in 6th and 7th paragraphs.)
Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.
