Judge rules Massachusetts offshore wind project halted by Trump administration can continue

BOSTON -- A federal judge said Tuesday that a nearly completed Massachusetts offshore wind project can continue, as the industry successfully challenges the Trump administration in court.At U.S.District Court in Boston, Judge Brian Murphy halted the administration's stop work order for Vineyard Wind, citing the potential economic losses from the delays and the developers' likelihood of success on their claims.

Vineyard Wind is one of five big offshore wind projects on the East Coast that the Trump administration froze days before Christmas, citing national security concerns — and the fourth that has since been allowed to go forward.A spokesperson for the company, Craig Gilvarg, said in a statement that it would “work with the Administration to understand the matters raised in the Order.”“Vineyard Wind will focus on working in coordination with its contractors, the federal government, and other relevant stakeholders and authorities to safely restart activities, as it continues to deliver a critical source of new power to the New England region,” Gilvarg added.Developers and states sued seeking to block the administration's order.

Prior to Vineyard Wind's hearing, federal judges had allowed three of the five to restart construction: the Revolution Wind project for Rhode Island and Connecticut by Danish company Orsted, the Empire Wind project for New York by Norwegian company Equinor, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind for Virginia by Dominion Energy Virginia.Those three judges essentially concluded that the government did not show that the national security risk is so imminent that construction must halt, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond Law School professor who has been following the lawsuits.Orsted is also suing over the administration halting its Sunrise Wind project for New York — the fifth paused project — but has not had a hearing yet.

Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, located 15 ...