Bianca Sanchez, bianca.sanchez@sierraclub.org
NEW YORK - Last night, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that Donald Trump’s executive order banning wind projects in the United States was unlawful and vacated the order.
Donald Trump issued an executive order on the first day of his administration that paused all leasing, permitting and approvals for wind projects, killing tens of thousands of jobs across the country. Since then, the administration has rescinded permits for offshore wind projects, halted projects that were 80 percent completed, and gutted tax credits allocated for wind energy projects—all to weaken the rapidly growing wind energy industry.
New York State has planned to build nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035. South Fork Wind, the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind project, has been operational since July 2024 and is now powering 70,000 homes and businesses across Long Island. The facility has provided 1,000 workers with steady hours and family-sustaining salaries. During the first half of 2025, South Fork produced electricity more than 92 percent of the time. Two other New York wind projects, Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind, are under construction.
Prior to Donald Trump’s assault on wind energy, the industry was one of the fastest-growing job sectors in the country. At the end of 2024, the wind sector employed nearly 150,000 Americans. Because of the administration’s attacks on wind, at least 17,000 jobs are in jeopardy in the offshore wind industry alone.
In May, the Sierra Club joined nine other environmental groups in an amicus brief arguing that “the administration's ‘Wind Directive’ is arbitrary and not based in science, lacks a clear purpose or timeline, and jeopardizes climate goals and public health.”
“Offshore wind’s efficiency and affordability has been proven true right here in New York and we are glad to see the executive order vacated,” said Allyson Samuell, Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative in New York. “Since coming online, South Fork Wind has played a pivotal role in keeping New York’s lights on during heat waves and cold snaps and at a fraction of the cost of expanding gas pipelines. With State Energy Planning underway, it is critical that the State Energy Planning Board commit to developing 9 GW of offshore wind, allowing for more union jobs, rate relief, and better public health for all New Yorkers.”
“The decision from the Federal Court is a victory for everyone who pays an electricity bill, is part of the clean energy workforce, and breathes air. Americans need cheaper and more reliable energy that does not come at the expense of our health and futures. We are glad to see this illegal order get vacated, and we will continue to advocate for more wind energy projects across the country to lower the cost of energy and create stable, union jobs in our communities,” said Sierra Club Senior Advisor Nancy Pyne. “We all deserve the peace of mind that the lights will turn on when we flip the switch, and we shouldn’t have to pay skyrocketing energy costs for that guarantee. Renewable energy will pave the way to a healthier and more affordable future for us all.”
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, visit www.sierraclub.org.