New Jersey sues Trump administration over wind energy projects

New Jersey is fighting back after the Trump administration turned off wind energy projects.

The state on Monday joined 17 others in a lawsuit against federal authorities. It is the latest lawsuit by state Attorney General Matt Platkin targeting actions by the Trump administration during his second term.

This one targets the Jan. 20 presidential memorandum that halted all federal approvals for offshore and onshore wind energy projects, including one in New York that was already under construction.

States in the lawsuit

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Massachusetts.

New Jersey
New York
Massachusetts
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
New Mexico
Oregon
Rhode Island
Washington

Off-shore debate in New Jersey

The presidential order was hailed by some Jersey Shore leaders and Republican congressmen who had opposed the wind projects on the grounds that it would ruin the coastal vistas, damage tourism and property values, harm marine life, and interfere with the military, fishing and maritime commerce.

Supporters said renewable wind energy, which provides more than 10% of the country’s electricity, would support hundreds of jobs and fuel economic growth while helping to mitigate dangerous climate change.

What the lawsuit argues

The lawsuit says the directive was arbitrary and capricious, violated the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws, contradicted federal actions aimed at increasing domestic energy production, and violated federal laws that establish procedures and timelines concerning the permitting process.

What Gov. Murphy and Platkin say

Gov. Phil Murphy touted the projects as part of the state's effort to move to 100% clean electricity by 2035.

“Wind energy has the potential to generate thousands of good-paying jobs, reduce harmful emissions, and secure a healthier, more sustainable future for all New Jerseyans. We are committed to reversing this disruptive action and will take every step necessary to get these projects back on track," Murphy said Monday in a written statement.

Platkin said the Trump administration's actions were illegal.

“While the Trump Administration prioritizes the profits of oil and gas companies, we are standing up for working families, for our environment, and for the jobs being killed by this unlawful action," Platkin said. "For our state and for our future generations, we are filing a lawsuit against the Administration and working to stop them from preventing the development of wind energy here in New Jersey.”

White House responds

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Democratic attorneys general are “using lawfare to stop the president’s popular energy agenda,” instead of working with him to unleash American energy and lower prices for families.

“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,” Rogers said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Trump vowed during the campaign to end the offshore wind industry if he returned to the White House. His order said there were “alleged legal deficiencies underlying the federal government’s leasing and permitting” of wind projects, and it directed the Interior secretary to review wind leasing and permitting practices for federal waters and lands.

Windfarm projects proposed for NJ coast — and what they might look like

These are the wind energy projects approved for and planned for the ocean off the coasts of New Jersey and New York. While the projects have the support of officials who say they will stimulate the local economy and create renewable energy to power millions of homes, many coastal residents have raised concerns about how the projects will impact tourism and the environment.

The gallery includes competing photosimulations — those on file with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and those recently commissioned by a group opposed to the wind farm development.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5