A U.S. federal judge has cleared the way for construction to resume on Vineyard Wind, a major offshore wind project off the Massachusetts coast, delivering another legal setback to President Donald Trump’s efforts to pause offshore wind development.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston ruled that Vineyard Wind could restart construction, blocking a Trump administration order that halted the project last month alongside four other offshore wind developments. The administration had cited national security concerns tied to potential radar interference as the reason for the pause.
Murphy, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, issued the ruling as part of an ongoing legal challenge to the administration’s broader offshore wind policy. The decision marks the latest in a series of court actions that have temporarily undercut the administration’s attempt to freeze construction across multiple high-profile wind projects.
An Interior Department spokesperson said the agency had no comment on pending litigation.
Vineyard Wind is a $4.5 billion joint venture between Spain’s Iberdrola and Denmark’s Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. It became the fourth offshore wind project paused under a December 22 Interior Department order to receive relief from a federal court.
The government said it paused the projects after receiving new, classified intelligence raising concerns about national security risks linked to radar systems. Developers have challenged those claims in court, arguing that the order was overly broad and lacked sufficient justification.
While the administration’s action was intended to impose a 90-day construction pause, Vineyard Wind was allowed to continue generating electricity during that period. The project is already 95% complete and has been sending power to the grid for more than a year.
In a statement following the ruling, Vineyard Wind said it would prioritize safety as construction activities resume.
“As the legal process proceeds, Vineyard Wind will continue to work with the Administration to understand the matters raised in the Order,” the company said.
Legal experts note that while the injunction allows construction to move forward for now, the underlying lawsuits are still ongoing. The developers are seeking a permanent block of the administration’s order, while the federal government continues to defend its authority to intervene on national security grounds.
If fully completed, Vineyard Wind is expected to play a significant role in Massachusetts’ clean energy transition and regional power supply, underscoring the broader economic and policy stakes tied to the outcome of the legal fight.
Originally reported by Reuters.
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