The Trump administration has asked a federal court in Maryland to revoke the 2024 approval granted to US Wind’s offshore wind project, arguing that the Biden-era review underestimated risks to search and rescue operations and commercial fishing.
The project, located off the coast of Maryland, was expected to generate enough power for approximately 718,000 homes. Its permit followed years of federal review and was issued under a Biden administration interpretation of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. That legal approach, granting broad federal discretion in managing offshore activities, has since been withdrawn by Trump administration lawyers.
The challenge is part of a broader effort by the current administration to roll back approvals for offshore wind and other renewable energy projects. The case stems from a 2024 lawsuit filed by Ocean City’s mayor and council, who argued the turbines would harm tourism and fisheries.
US Wind, a subsidiary of Italian group Toto Holding’s renewable arm Renexia SpA, said it intends to defend the permits in court. “After many years of analysis, several federal agencies issued final permits,” spokesperson Nancy Sopko stated, emphasizing confidence in their validity.
If the court agrees with the government’s motion, it would nullify years of regulatory work and potentially delay or derail one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest planned offshore wind developments.
