Maryland Sierra Club Reacts to Federal Judge’s Ruling to Vacate Trump’s Unlawful Wind Energy Ban

BALTIMORE, MD. - Last night, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that Donald Trump's executive order banning wind projects in the United States was unlawful and vacated the order.

Donald Trump issuedan executive order on the first day of his administration that paused all leasing, permitting, and approvals for wind projects, killing tens of thousands of jobs across the country. Since then, the administration has rescindedpermits for offshore wind projects, haltedprojects that were 80 percent completed, and guttedtax credits allocated for wind energy projects-all to weaken the rapidly growing wind energy industry.

In September, the Trump Administration filed a lawsuit seeking to revoke the Maryland Offshore Wind Project's permit. But last week, a federal judge in Maryland ruled against Trump's action to remand US Wind's permits. If completed, Maryland's offshore wind project has the potential to power 718,000homes and create 2,680new, stable, well-paying jobs. The project is set to begin construction in 2026.

Prior to Donald Trump's assault on wind energy, the industry was one of the fastest-growing job sectors in the country. At the end of 2024, the wind sector employed nearly 150,000 Americans. Because of the administration's attacks on wind, at least 17,000 jobsare in jeopardy in the offshore wind industry alone.

In May, the Sierra Club joined nine other environmental groups in an amicus briefarguing that "the administration's 'Wind Directive' is arbitrary and not based in science, lacks a clear purpose or timeline, and jeopardizes climate goals and public health."

"We are glad to see federal judges agreeing that the Trump administration overreached in its attacks on offshore wind," said Matt Sehrswenney, Climate Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter. "This ruling reopens the path for Maryland's first offshore wind project to start powering homes as soon as possible. Offshore wind is among our state's best options for reliable, homegrown energy that can lower electricity bills and reduce harmful fossil fuel pollution."

"The decision from the federal court is a victory for everyone who pays an electricity bill, is part of the clean energy workforce, and breathes air. Americans need cheaper and more reliable energy that does not come at the expense of our health and futures. We are glad to see this illegal order get vacated, and we will continue to advocate for more wind energy projects across the country to lower the cost of energy and create stable, union jobs in our communities," said Sierra Club Senior Advisor Nancy Pyne."We all deserve the peace of mind that the lights will turn on when we flip the switch, and we shouldn't have to pay skyrocketing energy costs for that guarantee. Renewable energy will pave the way to a healthier and more affordable future for us all."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.