California Attorney General Rob Bonta has welcomed a federal court ruling that invalidates the Trump Administration’s freeze on wind energy development. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts found that the administration’s action, which halted both offshore and onshore wind projects, was unlawful.
The decision vacates an executive memorandum issued by President Trump on January 20, 2025. That order imposed an indefinite moratorium on all federal approvals required for wind energy projects while calling for a broad review of leasing and permitting practices. As a result, federal agencies had stopped processing permits and approvals related to these projects.
“Today, we celebrate another victory against the Trump Administration. A court has agreed with California and our sister states nationwide: The Trump Administration’s attempt to thwart states’ efforts to make energy more clean, reliable, and affordable for our residents is unlawful and cannot stand,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration seems intent on raising costs on American families at every juncture — and California is equally committed to challenging every one of its illegal attempts to make life more expensive for Californians.”
Wind energy currently provides over 10% of the nation’s electricity supply. It supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the United States and contributes billions in economic activity and tax revenue.
In California, there are five federal offshore wind leases along the coast—two near Humboldt County and three off Morro Bay. These developments are expected to add significant clean energy capacity to the grid, enough to power approximately 1.6 million homes. The halted directive would have affected these projects, potentially raising consumer energy costs and threatening job creation as well as local economic growth in areas like Humboldt.
Attorney General Bonta joined other states in May in filing suit against the administration’s policy. The coalition argued that blocking wind project approvals would undermine efforts to secure reliable, diverse, and affordable energy sources needed to meet growing electricity demand, reduce air pollution emissions, achieve clean energy targets, and address climate change concerns. They also cited risks to substantial state investments already made in wind infrastructure, supply chains, and workforce training.
The court’s ruling resolves this legal challenge but remains subject to appeal.
