WA joins states suing Trump over illegal attacks on wind energy development

Washington state has joined 18 attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its unlawful freeze on wind energy development. The lawsuit contends that this freeze undermines the growth of clean energy resources critical for combating climate change. Attorney General Nick Brown stated that without a robust clean energy economy, Washington risks worsening climate issues and rising energy costs. On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued a memo that halted all federal approvals for wind energy projects, affecting both offshore and onshore developments. This decision has already impacted a fully permitted project in New York that had commenced construction.

Wind energy is vital, supplying over 10% of the country’s electricity and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. The lawsuit underscores the importance of clean energy initiatives for economic stability and environmental health. The outcome could influence future energy policies and the pace of clean energy adoption in the United States.