Attorney General Clark Sues U.S. Department of the Interior for Cancellation of Offshore Wind Lease

Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of attorneys general in suing the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) over its unlawful cancellation of a major offshore wind lease off the coast of New York. In March 2026, DOI announced a settlement with TotalEnergies, a French energy company, under which TotalEnergies would cancel its two offshore wind leases in exchange for hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. In addition, the deal required the company to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in oil and gas projects and pledge not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States.

Attorney General Clark and the coalition argue in today's lawsuit that the settlement agreement violates federal law governing offshore wind leases and federal settlement payouts. The coalition is asking the court to block the agreement and restore the leases.

"The Trump Administration's senseless rollback of progress toward energy sustainability isn't just a waste of money and bad for the environment - it's against the law," said Attorney General Clark. "Responsible offshore wind is an important renewable energy source that is good for our environment, our communities, and our future."

In 2022, Attentive Energy, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, paid $795 million to purchase an offshore wind lease approximately 47 miles off the coast of New York, as part of the highest-grossing competitive offshore energy lease sale in United States history. The lease area was expected to support two projects: Attentive Energy One, which would have delivered energy to New York City, and Attentive Energy Two, which would have served New Jersey.

In March 2026, with construction plans already under review, DOI suddenly announced that it had reached an agreement with TotalEnergies to cancel the Attentive Energy lease and a separate lease off the coast of North Carolina. DOI claimed that new national security concerns justified the cancellation, even though the federal government had already reviewed and approved the lease area after years of analysis and consultation. Under the agreement, TotalEnergies would invest approximately $795 million into fossil fuel projects, while the federal government would reimburse the company with $795 million. DOI also announced that TotalEnergies had pledged not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States.

Attorney General Clark and the coalition assert that the Attentive Energy lease is crucial to New York's energy mix and also would benefit other northeastern states. For example, New England states regularly import electricity from New York through high-voltage interconnection in order to meet rising energy demand. Well-sited offshore wind also can be an important way for states to meet renewable energy goals, like Vermont's renewable energy standard of 100% renewable electricity by 2035. Using renewable resources instead of fossil fuels also helps reduce the harmful emissions that cause climate change.

Joining Attorney General Clark in filing today's lawsuit are the attorneys general of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

A copy of the complaint is available by request.

This lawsuit is the 51st case Attorney General Clark has brought against the Trump Administration since President Trump took office in January 2025. For more information on actions taken by the Attorney General on behalf of Vermonters, visit our website.

CONTACT: Amelia Vath, Senior Advisor to the Attorney General, 802-828-3171