The Trump administration has requested a Revolution Wind approval review, asking a federal court to return the construction and operations plan (COP) approval for the 704 MW offshore wind project to the US Department of the Interior. The request comes as the project undergoes final commissioning after completing installation of all 65 turbines.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ), representing the federal government, filed a cross-motion for summary judgment on 9 October 2026 in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The filing forms part of a legal challenge initiated in 2024 by environmental groups led by Green Oceans over federal approvals granted to Revolution Wind.
The Interior Department has asked the court to remand its earlier COP approval so the agency can reconsider whether the decision complied with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). The government also sought summary judgment on claims involving the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
According to reports by OffshoreWIND.biz and TGS 4C Offshore, the federal government argued that returning the COP approval to the Interior Department would make it unnecessary for the court to address the plaintiffs’ remaining claims against the department concerning that approval.
The request relates to an authorisation issued under the previous administration. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved Revolution Wind’s construction and operations plan on 17 November 2023, following a joint federal Record of Decision issued in August of that year.
The latest filing seeks judicial approval for further administrative review. It does not, by itself, revoke the project’s existing authorisation or impose a new suspension on commissioning activities. A ruling on the request has not been confirmed.
Revolution Wind is a joint venture between Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables, a portfolio company of Global Infrastructure Partners. Located offshore Rhode Island, the project is designed to supply 400 MW of electricity to Rhode Island and 304 MW to Connecticut under long-term power purchase agreements.
The project began delivering electricity to the New England grid in March 2026. In September, the developers completed installation of all 65 wind turbines, leaving commissioning activities to be completed before the wind farm reaches full commercial operation.
The new court filing follows two earlier federal attempts to suspend work on the project.
On 22 August 2025, BOEM ordered construction activities to stop when Revolution Wind was approximately 80% complete. The developers challenged the order, and a federal court granted a preliminary injunction in September, allowing construction to resume while the legal proceedings continued.
A further suspension was imposed on 22 December 2025, when the Interior Department ordered a halt to activities at several offshore wind projects over national security concerns. Revolution Wind obtained another preliminary injunction on 12 January 2026, allowing the affected work to restart.
Unlike those earlier stop-work orders, the October filing addresses the validity of the project’s original federal approval through an ongoing legal challenge. It comes after all turbines have been installed and the project has started supplying electricity.
Ørsted declined to comment when contacted by OffshoreWIND.biz about the latest filing.
Turn Forward, a US offshore wind advocacy organisation, told OffshoreWIND.biz that the renewed examination of the project’s approval highlighted uncertainty in federal permitting procedures. The organisation called for bipartisan measures to provide greater certainty for energy infrastructure development.
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) also told the publication that predictable regulatory decisions were important for offshore energy investment. It acknowledged the federal government’s responsibility to review compliance with applicable requirements while expressing hope that Revolution Wind could continue progressing towards full operations.
The project remains in its commissioning phase, with full commercial operation expected later in 2026. The federal government’s request for reconsideration of the COP approval remains subject to the court’s decision.
