A federal judge in Massachusetts has struck down President Donald Trump's executive order blocking new offshore wind development.
In a ruling Jan. 8, U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris said the order amounted to a final agency action that was unlawfully arbitrary and capricious.
Ocean wind power advocates cheered the ruling, but cautioned that it would not likely change the course of an administration that has been dead-set against developing turbines off the U.S. coast.
"I think it's fair to say that this decision is not going to change the generally antagonistic attitude of this administration towards offshore wind, which we expect will continue to do what it can to throw sand in the gears of offshore wind development," said Kate Sinding Daly, senior vice president for Law and Policy at the Conservation Law Foundation.
The order, issued on Trump's first day in office, directed federal agencies to suspend issuing all new leases, permits, and other authorizations for wind energy projects pending a review of federal practices.
Maine and 16 other states filed suit against the administration to revoke the order.
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, in a press release, said he was gratified the court agreed that the administration had overstepped its authority.
"Maine's care about protecting our environment. Whatever the federal administration's position is on wind power, it does not have the right to arbitrarily ban development of this sustainable energy resource," Frey said.
Spokespeople for the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
