Washington D.C., 4 November 2025 — A U.S. federal court has allowed the Trump administration to revisit approvals for the SouthCoast Wind project off Massachusetts, marking another setback for the U.S. offshore wind sector.
District Judge Tanya Chutkan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order permitting the Department of the Interior and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to review permits and approvals that were originally granted under the Biden administration. The ruling supports the government’s motion to stay proceedings in a lawsuit filed by the Town and County of Nantucket, which challenges the project’s federal approvals.
In her five-page opinion, Judge Chutkan cited the Interior Secretary’s “broad discretion” under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and determined that BOEM retains authority to reassess previously issued approvals. She wrote that there was insufficient evidence showing SouthCoast Wind would experience “immediate and significant hardship” during the stay.
The SouthCoast Wind project, developed by Ocean Winds—a joint venture between Portugal’s EDP Renewables and France’s ENGIE—was formerly known as Mayflower Wind. It secured its federal lease in December 2018. Following years of regulatory review, its Construction and Operations Plan was approved in December 2024, and final permits were granted in January 2025. The project allows up to 141 wind turbine generators and as many as five offshore substations, with a total capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts. It is located roughly 26 nautical miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 nautical miles south of Nantucket.
Nantucket filed its latest challenge in March 2025 against BOEM and SouthCoast Wind, continuing a series of lawsuits contesting the project’s licensing process. The current decision pauses that case while BOEM conducts its review. Under the court’s order, the parties must file a joint status report by 3 January 2026, followed by updates every 60 days and an additional report within 30 days of BOEM’s final decision.
The Trump administration sought the stay on grounds of “judicial economy,” noting plans for a wider review of offshore wind leasing and permitting. BOEM stated that its review aligns with an executive directive signed by President Trump hours after his inauguration, pausing offshore wind projects pending environmental and procedural reassessment.
According to court filings, the government argued that the original environmental impact statement may have “understated or obscured impacts” that were improperly evaluated during approval.
The developer said it has invested about $600 million in the project, including contracts and financial commitments made in reliance on the issued permits. It warned that the stay could affect project scheduling and state power purchase agreements with Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has stated that offshore wind projects “have no future under President Trump,” while ordering federal agencies to collaborate on strategies to phase out the industry. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to examine potential health and safety impacts of offshore wind turbines.
The SouthCoast Wind case is one of several Biden-era offshore wind approvals now under review, signaling a wider policy shift under the Trump administration.
Source: The Maritime Executie, Reuters
