8:34 pm - February 18, 2026
A federal judge has delivered a fifth consecutive legal defeat to the Trump administration’s efforts to halt offshore wind farm construction along the East Coast. Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction on Monday allowing the Sunrise Wind project off New York to resume construction, marking another setback for the administration’s offshore wind suspension policy.
The ruling allows Danish energy company Ørsted to restart work on the nearly half-complete project, which has 44 out of 84 turbine foundations already installed. In December, the Trump administration suspended all five offshore wind projects under construction in federal waters off New England, New York, and Virginia, bringing work to a complete standstill.
National Security Claims Deemed Insufficient
The Trump Interior Department justified the suspensions by citing national security risks identified in classified reports from the Department of War, according to court documents. However, the administration did not provide specific details about these alleged security concerns.
Judge Lamberth ruled from the bench that the explanation was insufficient to justify entirely stopping work on the Sunrise Wind project. The judge determined that “irreparable harm” would occur if the construction halt continued, siding with the developer’s arguments.
Financial Losses Mount During Construction Delays
Ørsted reported in court filings that the Sunrise Wind project was losing more than $1 million every day during the suspension. The company stated it would “restart impacted activities immediately” following the favorable ruling.
Meanwhile, other offshore wind projects have experienced even steeper financial impacts. The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the largest offshore wind farm in the United States, was losing more than $5 million per day while construction remained halted in December and January, according to court documents.
Developers Win All Court Challenges Against Offshore Wind Suspension
Wind developers now hold a perfect 5-0 record in court battles against the administration’s suspension order. Each of the five projects has successfully obtained preliminary injunctions allowing construction to continue.
The other offshore wind projects permitted to resume work include Empire Wind off New York, Revolution Wind off Rhode Island and Connecticut, the nearly complete Vineyard Wind off Massachusetts, and the massive Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. Developers argued they risked losing access to specialized construction vessels and critical equipment needed to complete the installations.
Economic and Energy Implications
Additionally, a recent analysis from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warned that the administration’s suspension efforts “could cost consumers billions of dollars and keep much-needed new electricity off the grid.” The temporary halts are expected to inflate project costs significantly.
In contrast to the developers’ legal success, the U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on whether it plans to appeal any of the five preliminary injunctions. Court proceedings remain ongoing as the administration weighs its next legal options.
The legal battles over these offshore wind projects are expected to continue as developers work to complete construction before potentially facing additional regulatory challenges. The administration has not indicated whether it will pursue alternative legal strategies or accept the string of court defeats.
