Selcuk Uysal
30 January 2026•Update: 30 January 2026
ANKARA
US federal courts have sided with offshore wind developers in four out of five cases, clearing the way for construction to continue on major East Coast projects despite the Trump administration's temporary pause.
In the latest ruling, a US District Court judge in Boston, Massachusetts, Judge Brian E. Murphy—appointed by then-President Joe Biden in 2014—granted a preliminary injunction to Vineyard Wind on Tuesday, allowing the 806 MW project south of Nantucket to resume work while its lawsuit against the federal government continues.
The Trump administration halted leases for large-scale offshore wind projects under construction on Dec. 22, 2025, citing national security risks from radar interference caused by turbine blades and towers.
According to the Department of the Interior's press release, unclassified government reports have long found that the movement of massive turbine blades and highly reflective towers creates radar interference known as "clutter," which can hide real moving targets like aircraft or vessels and create fake ones near the projects, posing risks especially near East Coast population centers.
The pause impacted five key projects: Vineyard Wind in Massachusetts, Revolution Wind in Rhode Island and Connecticut, Empire Wind in New York, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind in Virginia, and Sunrise Wind in New York.
Four—Vineyard Wind, Revolution Wind, Empire Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind—have secured preliminary injunctions in federal courts, mainly in Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts, allowing construction to proceed pending final rulings. Sunrise Wind's challenge remains pending.
As of early 2026, the US has only three fully operational offshore wind farms with a combined capacity of around 174 MW. The five paused projects represent the bulk of near-term large-scale additions expected to come online in 2026–2027.
Vineyard Wind, already partially operational, drew criticism after a 2024 blade failure scattered debris across Nantucket beaches.
The White House defended the pause, stating that President Trump views wind energy as unreliable and costly and that the administration paused construction of all large-scale offshore wind projects to prioritize putting America first and protecting national security.
Developers argue the halt is arbitrary and causes significant daily losses, while opponents continue separate lawsuits claiming radar risks were ignored in prior approvals. The administration anticipates prevailing in the ongoing cases.
