Judge halts permit slowdowns

A federal judge in Boston on April 21 blocked Trump administration policies that had slowed federal permits for wind and solar projects. (usnews.com) Chief U.S. District Judge Denise Casper issued a preliminary injunction after nine renewable-energy groups said the policies had stalled projects nationwide and violated federal administrative law. (usnews.com) Casper’s order stops enforcement of measures that included a July Interior Department memo requiring nearly every wind and solar permitting step to be reviewed by three senior political appointees, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. (eenews.net) Another policy the judge blocked required Burgum’s personal approval for all solar and wind projects on federal lands and waters, adding a new signoff layer to leases, rights-of-way, construction plans and biological opinions. (usnews.com) The ruling applies to members of the plaintiff groups, which include RENEW Northeast, Alliance for Clean Energy New York, Clean Grid Alliance, Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition Action and other regional trade associations. The coalition sued in Massachusetts on December 23, 2025. (courtlistener.com, abcnews.com) The case turned on process as much as policy. Casper said the plaintiffs were likely to show the government changed permitting rules unlawfully and that developers would suffer irreparable harm if the court did not step in. (eenews.net, usnews.com) Developers said the delays threatened projects that need to move quickly to qualify for federal tax credits before those incentives expire under current law. (wbur.org) The administration has argued the extra review was needed to end what officials called preferential treatment for wind and solar under President Joe Biden. The Interior Department said Tuesday that it does not comment on litigation and added that “America sets the global standard for energy production.” (usnews.com), (usnews.com) The order is the latest court setback for the administration’s efforts to curb renewable development, after earlier fights over offshore wind approvals and construction on the East Coast. For now, the judge’s ruling keeps the new permitting bottlenecks from taking effect for the groups that brought the case. (usnews.com), (nytimes.com)