Judge Revives Wind Farm That Trump Halted Off Martha’s Vineyard
A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that construction could continue on a $4.5 billion wind farm off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., striking down the Trump administration’s decision to halt work on the nearly complete project.
Judge Brian E. Murphy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction that would allow the developers of the wind farm, known as Vineyard Wind, to restart construction while the broader legal battle unfolds.
The ruling was the fourth legal setback that the Trump administration has suffered in its quest to throttle the country’s nascent offshore wind industry.
Other federal judges have issued preliminary injunctions that allowed three other projects — Revolution Wind off Rhode Island, Empire Wind off New York and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind off Virginia — to resume construction.
Vineyard Wind is already 95 percent complete and is sending some power to the electric grid in Massachusetts. Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the state.
Judge Brian E. Murphy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction that would allow the developers of the wind farm, known as Vineyard Wind, to restart construction while the broader legal battle unfolds.
The ruling was the fourth legal setback that the Trump administration has suffered in its quest to throttle the country’s nascent offshore wind industry.
Other federal judges have issued preliminary injunctions that allowed three other projects — Revolution Wind off Rhode Island, Empire Wind off New York and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind off Virginia — to resume construction.
Vineyard Wind is already 95 percent complete and is sending some power to the electric grid in Massachusetts. Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the state.
