Federal courts have now cleared all five US offshore wind projects to resume construction after the Trump administration's attempt to halt them on national security grounds failed across the board.
Judges in three separate courts granted preliminary injunctions allowing work to restart on Revolution Wind (704 MW, 87% complete), Empire Wind (810 MW), Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (2.6 GW), Vineyard Wind 1 (806 MW), and Sunrise Wind (920 MW). Combined, these projects represent 5.8 GW of capacity - significant for Northeast grid reliability and military installations that depend on stable power.
The administration's December stop-work order cited a classified Department of War report alleging security risks from operating turbines. Four judges weren't convinced. Some reviewed the classified material and found it unpersuasive, according to reporting from The New York Times.
The logic problem
Judge Brian E. Murphy highlighted the administration's inconsistency: the order blocks construction while allowing 44 completed turbines to keep operating. "If the government's concern is the operation of these facilities, allowing the ongoing operation... while prohibiting the repair of existing turbines and the completion of 18 additional turbines is irrational," Murphy wrote.
That pattern - claiming operational security risks while permitting operations - raises the same "arbitrary and capricious" standard that killed Trump's executive order blocking all new wind permitting in December.
What happens next
The injunctions hold until final rulings. The government can appeal, but the consistency across four judges and three jurisdictions suggests weak ground. More importantly, several projects are near completion - Revolution Wind has 58 of 65 turbines installed, and CVOW expects to begin power delivery this quarter.
The cases continue, and the administration could still prevail on merits. But for now, construction crews are back on site. The real question is whether this represents a one-off policy fumble or a template for blocking approved infrastructure projects using classified justifications that courts can't easily scrutinize.
Worth noting: No new developments emerged in the past week. The most recent injunctions were granted January 12-16.