A federal judge in Massachusetts has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a series of permitting policies that wind and solar energy industry groups say have stymied the development of new energy generation projects. The ruling comes after the Interior Department imposed restrictions on wind and solar projects across the country, prompting developers to sue.
Chief Judge Denise J Casper struck down several actions slowing clean energy development, including a requirement that all solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The court ruled that a coalition of plaintiffs representing wind and solar developers were likely to succeed on the merits of their claims that the administration’s actions violate federal statute.
The judge determined that these policies would cause irreparable harm if the court did not intervene. This decision is the latest in a series of judicial rebukes to the Trump administration's efforts to block federal approvals for wind energy projects.