Trump Administration loses - again: Judge’s ruling halts stop work order for Rhode Island wind project
“We refuse to accept this Administration’s unlawful attempts to hinder progress on the Revolution Wind project, and today’s legal victory reaffirms that we are right on the law,” said AG Neronha.
From the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF):
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has paused a stop-work order issued by the Trump Administration that sought to halt a nearly complete offshore wind development off the coast of Rhode Island. Ørsted, the developer of Revolution Wind, sued the Trump Administration after the Department of the Interior announced it was pausing leases for offshore wind projects along the East Coast, citing national security concerns. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement in response.
“How many times does this administration have to lose in court before it stops trying to block affordable clean energy,” asked Kate Sinding Daly, senior vice president for law and policy at CLF. “Our courts have already made clear that permits grounded in law cannot be undone on political whims. Rigorously reviewed clean energy projects should be allowed to move forward, deliver people affordable power, and battle one of the greatest threats to national security – climate change.”
Judge Royce Lamberth issued the injunction and concluded that Ørsted would suffer irreparable harm if the stop-work order were allowed to continue. Revolution Wind will deliver power to up to 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island, providing affordable clean energy.
Developers of other offshore wind projects included in the stop work order have separately sued the administration.
From Attorney General Neronha:
Attorney General Neronha, Attorney General Tong, and Ørsted secure a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration, preserving the Revolution Wind project
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha today issued the following statement after securing a preliminary injunction in the Washington, D.C. federal court against the Trump Administration, allowing work on the Revolution Wind project to proceed.
“We refuse to accept this Administration’s unlawful attempts to hinder progress on the Revolution Wind project, and today’s legal victory reaffirms that we are right on the law,” said Attorney General Neronha. “A year into the Trump Administration, their approach to governing is well-worn: attack any policy or project the President doesn’t like without regard for the law, Congress, or the American people, and leave it to the lawyers to present disingenuous, often illogical arguments to defend these decisions in court. For this reason, we continue to win, and they continue to lose. The harm here, and potential for further harm here, is well-documented. Rhode Island and Connecticut rely on this project for energy pricing stability and affordability, electric grid reliability, environmental health, good-paying union jobs, and more. The law takes precedent over the political whims of one man, and we will continue to fight to make sure that remains the case.”
“Today’s court decision puts Revolution Wind back on track, despite the Trump Administration’s latest attempt to derail this important project,” said Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee. “Rhode Island’s families are dealing with escalating energy costs, and they need relief sooner rather than later. Revolution Wind provides that relief in the form of affordable energy generated in our own backyard—energy that is on track to power 200,000 Rhode Island homes within the year! Revolution Wind also benefits our state by creating good-paying jobs and producing clean energy to support our climate goals.”
“Today’s federal court order requiring the Trump Administration to resume the Revolution Wind project is good news for Rhode Island,” said United States Representative Seth Magaziner (Democrat, Rhode Island). “Trump has tried to stop this project twice, and he has failed twice. Enough already. It is cold out, and people are struggling with high energy bills. The Trump Administration must let Revolution Wind go live so Rhode Islanders can benefit from more clean, affordable energy.”
“The Trump Administration’s bogus effort to stop offshore wind blew up again in federal court today,” said United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “Stopping clean energy raises customers’ costs, and the money goes to fossil fuel power plants – to Trump’s big donors. The good news for Rhode Islanders working on these projects is that President Donald ‘Stop Work’ Trump keeps striking out as he tries to prevent cheap energy from getting onto our grid.”
Workers and Union Leaders Respond to Legal Ruling that Ends the Stop Work Order on Revolution Wind
On Monday, a federal judge granted a temporary injunction to allow construction work to resume on the 87% complete Revolution Wind offshore wind project. Workers can now get back to work. Climate Jobs Rhode Island (CJRI), a growing coalition of labor and environmental groups advocating for a just transition to a pro-worker and pro-climate green economy in Rhode Island, put out the following statement:
“This stop work order never should have happened. It put skilled union workers on the sidelines, threatened family paychecks, and slowed down a project that is nearly finished and delivering real benefits to Rhode Island,” said Michael Sabitoni, President of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council. “Our members are trained, ready, and proud to be building this project. Today’s ruling lets them get back to work, but what we need now is certainty and an end to the political games being played with workers’ livelihoods and our clean energy future.”
“When major energy infrastructure projects get shut down again and again, let’s remember who gets hurt: the working people who are counting on the project for their paychecks and livelihoods, and the households and businesses who are counting on this power to protect them from skyrocketing prices and energy shortfalls,” said Patrick Crowley, President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. “Revolution Wind is 87% complete. We are so close to bringing much-needed energy to the grid; let’s get the job done. Thank you to Attorney General Peter Neronha for having workers’ backs.”
“As workers who are building Revolution Wind, all we want is to get this project built and be done with the constant attacks against our line of work. What we do is important – it’s good for our local economy, it brings down energy prices, and it creates a healthier, safer environment for our community. I don’t understand why people are so determined to kill projects that increase energy security and provide Americans with good union jobs. Let us finish what we started and deliver this project that Rhode Islanders voted for to our region, said Nick Reynolds, Member of IUPAT Local 195.
“Today is a good day for workers on Revolution Wind, who have dealt with not one, but two stop work orders on their project. Offshore wind has the power to combat climate change, address energy affordability, and deliver thousands of high-quality, union jobs. It’s common sense. At a time when energy demand is rising rapidly, we should be adding as much energy to the grid as possible, not stopping projects that are nearly done,” said Aislinn Hanley, Program Director of Climate Jobs Rhode Island. “Workers deserve to feel secure in their jobs and have paychecks they can rely on. We demand an end to the barrage of attacks on working people.”
Trump lies about everything. When he claims national security it is a lie. Presidents get a lot of deference on national securoity, but clearly Trump lies so much that all the judges have to stop giving anything he says credence. You will notice Trump never testifies in open court. His own attorneys will not let him testify as he would immediately perjure himself. So why should any judge believe any reason his attorneys put forth on his behalf?
All RIGHT! Kelly is suing the object in the white house and his puppet; Minnesota is suing ICE, DHS, and the border control. . . . Let's get those turbines turning!