A federal judge has allowed the Trump administration to reconsider a key permit for the SouthCoast Wind project, an offshore wind farm planned in federal waters about 23 miles south of Nantucket. The decision follows a motion by federal defendants seeking to revoke approval of the project’s construction and operations plan, which was granted just days before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
SouthCoast Wind, the developer behind the project, stated it is reviewing the court’s decision and considering its next steps, including possible legal actions. The proposed wind farm would consist of up to 141 turbines and provide electricity for approximately 840,000 homes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Construction has not yet started.
The Trump administration has taken multiple actions—through executive orders, agency decisions, and litigation—to halt offshore wind development. President Trump has publicly criticized offshore wind energy as “ugly” and unreliable compared to fossil fuels like coal and natural gas.
Massachusetts officials have emphasized the importance of offshore wind for meeting clean energy targets and growing electricity demand. Governor Maura Healey commented on the situation: “There is absolutely no need for the Trump administration to reopen permitting processes and deny jobs, investment and energy to the states.”
The town of Nantucket filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department in March, arguing that constructing the wind farm would harm its character, community life, and tourism economy. In September, federal agencies requested that approval for SouthCoast Wind’s construction plan be revoked due to concerns that legal requirements may not have been fully met or all potential impacts considered.
Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered that the permit be sent back to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for further review. She noted this step would save time and resources since both Nantucket and SouthCoast Wind did not object strongly enough to cause immediate hardship.
Nantucket officials said they believe this ruling supports their position that environmental and cultural impacts must be thoroughly examined before granting permits for offshore wind projects.
SouthCoast Wind CEO Michael Brown highlighted that more than $600 million has already been invested in development costs—including lease payments—since acquiring rights during Trump’s first term. Brown said they remain committed to delivering domestic energy supply while supporting union jobs in the region.
BOEM had originally approved SouthCoast’s operations plan on January 17th, three days before Trump began his second term as president.
During his presidency, Donald Trump prioritized fossil fuel development over renewables such as offshore wind. His administration halted major projects, revoked permits, paused new approvals, canceled plans for large-scale leasing areas in federal waters, and stopped $679 million in funding intended for several offshore wind initiatives—a sharp reversal from policies under President Biden.
In a related case earlier this year, another federal judge ruled that construction could resume on Revolution Wind after being halted by Trump’s administration. This project aims to become Rhode Island’s and Connecticut’s first large-scale offshore wind facility with capacity sufficient for over 350,000 homes—about 2.5% of regional electricity needs.
