California and New York Sue Trump Over Wind Lease Buybacks

Attorneys general from California and New York filed federal lawsuits on September 22 and 23 to block the Trump administration from using taxpayer funds to buy back offshore wind leases. The legal challenges target agreements between the United States Department of the Interior and energy companies Invenergy and Bluepoint Wind, which would provide $1.4 billion in public funds to cancel projects off the East and West coasts. This is part of a broader $4 billion federal pledge to discourage wind energy in favor of fossil fuels and geothermal energy.

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont in two lawsuits. These suits challenge payouts of $765 million to Bluepoint Wind, which intends to build a liquefied natural gas facility, and $653 million to Invenergy for natural gas and geothermal projects. Separately, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Energy Commission sued over a $111 million deal to abandon a lease in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the policy, stating that companies are shifting investment toward dependable energy infrastructure to lower utility costs. Conversely, the plaintiff states argue the deals are illegal backroom maneuvers that violate the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution, diverting public money away from renewable energy and increasing electricity costs for residents.