In a series of legal decisions, U.S. federal courts have overturned the Trump administration’s suspension of offshore wind projects, allowing construction to resume on several key developments along the East Coast.
On January 12, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction to Revolution Wind, a 704 MW offshore wind project off the coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut. The court’s action permits the project to restart construction activities immediately, pending the outcome of the ongoing lawsuit challenging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) suspension orders issued in August and December 2025. Revolution Wind is a joint venture between Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables. ([orsted.com](https://orsted.com/en/media/news/2026/01/us-federal-court-grants-preliminary-injunction-all-1474935811?utm_source=openai))
Similarly, on January 16, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a preliminary injunction allowing Dominion Energy to resume construction of the 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. This project had been halted since December 22, 2025, following a stop-work order from the Trump administration citing national security concerns. ([enerdata.net](https://www.enerdata.net/publications/daily-energy-news/us-court-allows-dominion-energy-resume-26-gw-offshore-wind-project.html?utm_source=openai))
These court decisions come in response to the administration’s suspension of five major offshore wind projects in December 2025, including Sunrise Wind, Empire Wind, Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind. The suspensions were justified on the grounds of unspecified national security risks. However, developers and state officials contested these claims, leading to a series of legal challenges. ([gtlaw-environmentalandenergy.com](https://www.gtlaw-environmentalandenergy.com/2026/01/articles/offshore-wind/court-lifts-stop-work-orders-for-three-paused-offshore-wind-projects/?utm_source=openai))
In the case of Revolution Wind, Judge Royce Lamberth found that the government had not demonstrated that offshore wind posed an imminent national security risk warranting a halt in construction. He noted that the BOEM did not adequately explain how the project posed security risks or why stopping construction would address those concerns. ([marinelog.com](https://www.marinelog.com/offshore/offshore-wind/preliminary-injunction-allows-construction-to-resume-at-orsteds-revolution-wind/?utm_source=openai))
These legal victories are significant for the offshore wind industry, as they allow critical projects to move forward, contributing to the nation’s renewable energy goals and economic development. The resumption of construction is expected to provide substantial clean energy to the Northeast, with Revolution Wind alone set to supply 704 MW of offshore wind energy to Rhode Island and Connecticut. ([publicpower.org](https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/federal-court-grants-preliminary-injunction-allowing-construction-resume-offshore-wind-project?utm_source=openai))
As the legal proceedings continue, the outcomes of these cases may set important precedents for the future of offshore wind development in the United States, balancing national security considerations with the imperative to expand renewable energy infrastructure.