Trump Administration Seeks to Rescind Revolution Wind Approval

The Trump administration has asked a federal court to allow the Department of the Interior to rescind and reassess the approval of the Revolution Wind project. In a Friday filing to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the administration argued that a remand is necessary to reevaluate the project's compliance with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, citing potential adverse impacts on coastal fishing and recreation.

The project, a joint venture between Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables, is located off the coast of Rhode Island and began supplying power in March. It is expected to reach full output by the end of 2026. The legal move follows a 2024 lawsuit filed by the anti-wind energy group Green Oceans challenging the project's permits.

This action coincides with ongoing negotiations between the administration and Senate Democrats over a bipartisan energy and infrastructure deal to expedite permitting. Democratic negotiators, including Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Martin Heinrich, have urged the administration to stop targeting wind power to demonstrate good faith. While the Department of the Interior maintains the filing is a procedural requirement of a briefing schedule rather than a policy change, industry groups like the National Ocean Industries Association argue the move creates regulatory uncertainty for clean energy developers.