Overview
- Chief Judge Denise Casper in Boston issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday that pauses new federal permitting controls for members of nine renewable energy groups.
- The court order blocks an Interior Department memo from July that forced nearly every wind and solar decision to get sign-off from three top political appointees, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
- Casper said the plaintiffs are likely to prove the actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act and that they face irreparable harm, so she halted the memo, a “capacity density” test, an Army Corps directive, a planning-tool change, and an offshore wind opinion.
- Justice Department lawyers argued Burgum had legal authority to tighten oversight and questioned the groups’ standing, while Burgum recently pointed to solar supply-chain risks and possible threats to wind sites such as drone or undersea attacks.
- Developers said they can restart stalled projects that must begin soon to use expiring tax credits, though the decision is temporary and the government can appeal, reflecting a broader policy shift that favors fossil fuels and trims renewable incentives.