TRENTON — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Monday that the state has joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, challenging its indefinite freeze on the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects.
Long before Trump issued his executive order halting wind energy off the New Jersey coastline, Phil Murphy’s wind energy dreams were already sinking into the Atlantic as two major projects were canceled. A third project, Empire Wind, being pushed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, also suspended operations off the coast of Sandy Hook.
The complaint, filed in federal court, argues that the Administration’s action—triggered by a January 20 Presidential Memorandum—’unlawfully’ blocks states from advancing clean energy goals and disrupts ongoing and planned projects. The order halted all federal permitting and approval activities tied to wind development, including one project in New York that had already begun construction with full permits.
“It is deeply disappointing that the Trump Administration is illegally attempting to block our state from developing new sources of power,” Platkin said in a statement. “We are standing up for working families, for our environment, and for the jobs being killed by this unlawful action.”
Governor Phil Murphy reiterated the state’s commitment to renewable energy, citing wind as a central part of New Jersey’s goal to reach 100 percent clean electricity sales by 2035.
That goal was unattainable long before the President’s executive order.
Murphy noted that wind projects promise job creation, emissions reduction, and economic growth, none of which came to fruition in any major capacity as of the order.
The lawsuit argues the federal freeze harms state-level efforts to ensure reliable, diversified, and affordable energy sources. The filing also claims that the decision undermines significant state investments in wind infrastructure and reverses long-standing federal policies without legal justification.
Coalition challenges legality under federal law
According to the complaint, the administration’s action violates the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal statutes that mandate specific processes for agency decisions. The attorneys general allege that the White House directive is “arbitrary and capricious” and lacks the reasoned analysis required under federal law to support such a sweeping policy shift.
The coalition further contends that the halt circumvents statutory permitting procedures, depriving states of the ability to develop renewable energy projects necessary for grid stability and environmental compliance. They also argue the suspension directly contradicts recent federal commitments to boost domestic energy production.
Wind energy currently supplies just 10 percent of U.S. electricity according to state officials. The complaint emphasizes that without federal support, states like New Jersey risk increased energy costs and delayed infrastructure projects needed to meet rising demand.
The attorneys general filing suit include representatives from California, New York, Massachusetts, and several other states with substantial wind energy interests and infrastructure already in development. The group is seeking an injunction to block enforcement of the memorandum and allow permitting and construction to resume.