Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has joined a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration in response to a directive that halts federal approvals for wind energy projects nationwide. The legal action challenges a memorandum issued by President Trump on January 20, which suspends both offshore and onshore wind energy development pending a federal review, as per the Office of the Attorney General release.
According to Campbell, the directive poses a significant threat to Massachusetts’ ongoing investment in renewable energy. The state has committed more than $330 million to the offshore wind sector and relies heavily on these projects to meet its climate and economic goals. Massachusetts law mandates net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with wind energy playing a central role in that plan.
The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that the directive is unlawful and aims to prevent further delays in the permitting process for wind energy development. The attorneys general argue that the sudden policy shift could severely impact job creation and raise regional energy costs. In New England, projections show that energy costs could increase by up to 50% by 2050 if offshore wind energy is not implemented as planned.
Joining Massachusetts in the lawsuit are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. The states argue that the federal directive violates the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to follow established procedures and providing no adequate explanation for the abrupt change in policy.
The coalition contends that the federal government’s freeze on wind energy development undermines states’ efforts to diversify energy sources, reduce emissions, and stimulate economic growth through the renewable energy sector.
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