President Donald Trump’s pause on permits for new offshore wind power projects is harming New York’s climate, jeopardizing thousands of jobs, state Attorney General Letitia James alleged in a lawsuit filed Monday.
James and 17 state attorneys generals argue Trump’s order exceeds his executive authority and threatens the climate, access to reliable power and jobs. Trump issued the pause through an executive order on the first day of his second term, writing that offshore wind turbines could compromise navigational safety, national security and marine life. The order immediately put in limbo more than 7,000 megawatts of wind projects in New York, which could power more than 4.5 million homes.
“This administration is devastating one of our nation’s fastest-growing sources of clean, reliable, and affordable energy,” James said in a statement. “This arbitrary and unnecessary directive threatens the loss of thousands of good-paying jobs and billions in investments, and it is delaying our transition away from the fossil fuels that harm our health and our planet.”
The state is counting on wind power to make its renewable energy transition to a grid powered by emissions-free sources by 2040. The state projected it was already three years behind on reaching that goal before Trump started his second term.
The lawsuit asks a judge to temporarily block the executive order while the case is litigated. It argues the pause on wind permitting contradicts another executive order from Trump declaring a “national energy emergency” and a boost in American energy production.
The suit also alleges the pause is causing economic harm in New York. James said wind projects have already created more than 4,400 jobs and are projected to create 18,000 more. The pause jeopardizes these jobs as well as the private investments made by developers seeking permits for new wind projects, according to her office.
"Like virtually all the executive orders issued by the President thus far, it sows chaos and upsets the critical regulatory clarity needed for businesses to effectively operate in New York and around the country," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
Last month, Trump ordered the halt of the Empire 1 wind offshore project, which was already permitted and under construction off of Long Island. The major project would have provided power to 1 million homes. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the move was necessary because the Biden administration had rushed through approval of the project. The halt of Empire 1 is not part of James’ new lawsuit.
Other states joining the lawsuit include New Jersey and Connecticut.
“Instead of working with President Trump to unleash American energy and lower prices for American families, Democrat Attorneys General are using lawfare to stop the President’s popular energy agenda. The American people voted for the President to restore America’s energy dominance, and Americans in blue states should not have to pay the price of the Democrats’ radical climate agenda,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in an email.
