For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Jackie Greger, Jackie.Greger@sierraclub.org
NJ Joins Lawsuit Against Trump Admin. Over TotalEnergies Offshore Wind Deal
Trenton, NJ - Today, New Jersey joined several states in a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration over the Department of the Interior's $1 billion buyout of TotalEnergies' offshore wind lease back in March of this year.
Other states in the lawsuit include New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The seven attorneys general cited that the deal violates the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act on several fronts.
The lease buyout in March led TotalEnergies to abandon its U.S. offshore wind projects, including Attentive Energy Two located in the NY/NJ Bight. Attentive Energy was set to provide 1,342 megawatts (MW) to New Jersey, powering 650,000 homes and generating $3 billion in economic benefits.
In response to New Jersey joining the lawsuit, NJ Sierra Club Director, Anjuli Ramos-Busot issued the following statement;
“The NJ Sierra Club applauds Attorney General Davenport and the Sherrill Administration for taking action in court to fight back against the Trump Administration’s illegal use of taxpayer dollars to attack clean energy and threaten good, American jobs.
Offshore wind remains one of New Jersey’s greatest energy affordability and climate solutions, with the potential to generate large-load clean energy to offset increased demand coming from the build-out of data centers.
Other neighboring states in the region, including New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, continue to move ahead and are already reaping the benefits of their successful offshore wind projects, which have delivered reliable, clean power through storms and has helped to alleviate cost increases to ratepayers.
Today’s announcement goes to show that New Jersey will not sit idly by as the Trump Administration undermines our progress by doubling down on fossil fuels, and that the state will continue to fight for an affordable, clean energy future.”
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About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information about our work in New Jersey, visit www.sierraclub.org/new-jersey