BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Monday announced that he has joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging its recent freeze on wind energy development.
The lawsuit (PDF), filed on Monday, claims that President Trump’s January 20th Presidential Memorandum, which indefinitely halted federal approvals for onshore and offshore wind energy projects, is unlawful. The attorneys general allege that the memorandum violates the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws by providing no explanation for the sudden change in policy and by disregarding established procedures for federal permitting and approvals. The administration has stopped all permitting and approval activities and has issued a stop-work order on a fully-permitted project in New York that had already begun construction, according to the coalition.
“The Trump Administration’s outrageous and unlawful freeze on wind energy development is nothing short of a direct assault on Maryland’s future climate security and economic prosperity,” said Attorney General Brown in a statement. He emphasized the importance of wind energy to Maryland’s economy and its role in combating climate change. “With this lawsuit, we are protecting the livelihoods of thousands of families and standing firm against President Trump’s reckless attack on an industry that offers to secure reliable, affordable, and clean energy for every Marylander.”
The coalition argues that the freeze jeopardizes billions of dollars in investments made by states in wind energy infrastructure and workforce development. Homegrown wind energy supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, generates billions of dollars in economic activity and tax payments, and supplies over 10% of the country’s electricity.
Maryland, specifically, has made significant investments in wind energy, with a goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2045. The state’s offshore wind energy target of 8,500 megawatts by 2031 is expected to create thousands of jobs and generate billions in economic benefits. The controversial Maryland Offshore Wind Project is projected to support 13,000+ jobs and bring $6 billion+ in economic benefits to Maryland.
The coalition of attorneys general is asking the court to declare the President’s directive illegal and to prevent the administration from obstructing wind energy development. The attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington have joined Attorney General Brown in filing the lawsuit.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via Pixabay
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