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🗞️ Driving the news: A coalition of 17 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. has filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive order halting all new wind energy projects
• The states argue the order, issued on Trump’s first day back in office, unlawfully pauses permits, loans, and approvals for both onshore and offshore wind developments, jeopardizing billions in investments and thousands of jobs
🔭 The context: The Biden administration had aggressively expanded offshore wind as a cornerstone of U.S. climate policy, approving multiple projects to help decarbonize the energy sector
• Trump’s order marks a stark reversal, citing alleged legal deficiencies in prior permitting and framing the move as part of restoring "energy dominance" through fossil fuels
• The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts, highlights a deepening clash between federal energy policy and state-led clean energy initiatives
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Wind energy, currently supplying about 10% of U.S. electricity, is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Halting its expansion could derail states’ climate targets, impede clean job creation, and slow the transition from fossil fuels
• States have already invested heavily in infrastructure to support offshore wind, underscoring the economic and environmental risks of the policy shift
⏭️ What's next: The states seek a federal court injunction to nullify Trump's executive order and resume wind project approvals
• In parallel, companies like Equinor (see sustainability performance), whose Empire Wind project was forcibly halted, are weighing independent legal action
• Broader implications include potential delays or cancellations of offshore wind projects critical to state renewable energy plans, with key rulings expected in the coming months
💬 One quote: "This arbitrary and unnecessary directive threatens the loss of thousands of good-paying jobs and billions in investments." — Letitia James, New York Attorney General
📈 One stat: Wind energy currently accounts for approximately 10% of all electricity generated in the United States, making it the country’s largest single source of renewable energy
See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Vestas and its peers Ørsted, Equinor, and Nextera
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