The Trump administration is halting wind projects that had been approved, financed, and underway — while providing little to no justification.
By Brad Plumer and Lisa Friedman, The New York Times, Aug. 26, 2025
When the Trump administration ordered that construction stop last week at Revolution Wind, a giant wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island that was nearly finished, it alluded vaguely to national security concerns but did not offer any further explanation.
It’s becoming a striking pattern.
The order was the third time the Trump administration had revoked permits or halted work on wind farms that had already received federal approval while offering little legal justification for doing so, following actions against wind projects in New York and Idaho. Legal experts say that there is little basis for blocking projects that have already received permits.
The Trump administration has signaled in a court filing that it next plans to rescind federal approvals for yet another wind farm, the Maryland Offshore Wind Project, which had not yet begun construction but would consist of up to 114 wind turbines off the coast of Ocean City, Md. The filing was first reported by WBOC.
These extraordinary moves are creating a crisis for the wind industry, experts said, putting thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of investments at risk. Even if developers are able to challenge the legality of the administration’s actions in court and ultimately win, the delays can drive up costs and inject enough uncertainty to potentially kill wind projects.
Related:
Trump’s crusade is throwing an industry into turmoil
Trump plans to cancel another offshore wind project
Canceled wind project puts thousands of jobs at risk
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