An offshore wind project off Martha’s Vineyard won a victory in court Monday against a stop-work order from the Trump administration.
Revolution Wind can resume construction for now, but the injunction is temporary. It allows work to go forward while the company’s lawsuit against the administration plays out.
The company is trying to finish installing the last of its turbines, located about 12 miles southwest of Aquinnah, in the next 41 days. After that, the installation vessel may need to leave for other work. The vessel’s contractual obligation to remain on the project is expiring, a company attorney said in court.
In a written statement following the injunction, Revolution Wind said it will restart construction as soon as possible.
“Revolution Wind will determine how best it may be possible to work with the US Administration to achieve an expeditious and durable resolution,” the company said.
In the injunction, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said Revolution Wind has shown a likelihood of success in its underlying lawsuit against the Trump administration over a stop-work order the administration issued in December.
At the time, the Department of the Interior halted construction and suspended ocean leases for five offshore wind projects off the coast of New England, New York, and Virginia. It said government agencies needed time to work with states and leaseholders “to assess the possibility of mitigating the national security risks posed by these projects.”
The Trump administration contends that turbines interfere with radar and that classified reports have identified national security risks.
In court Monday, an attorney for the project said Revolution Wind was just weeks away from delivering power to the grid when construction was ordered to halt. This is the second stop-work order the project has received since August; its lawsuit now challenges both orders.
Revolution Wind is a joint venture between Danish company Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables, whose parent company, Global Infrastructure Partners, acquired the 50 percent ownership previously held by Avangrid.
Now nearly 90 percent complete, the project expects to have 65 turbines. It has contracts to sell power in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
