The Trump administration has signalled its intent to withdraw federal permitting for the 1200MW EDP Renewables and ENGIE joint-venture SouthCoast Wind.
President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice revealed the plan in a filing on an ongoing challenge to the project from the Massachusetts island municipality of Nantucket.
Lawyers representing the federal government told the US District Court for the District of Columbia that the “intends to move for a voluntary remand of the agency action at issue in this litigation”, and will file no later than 18 September.
The move would render Nantucket’s challenge to the permit redundant, the federal government argued, and asked the court to stay the original proceeding.
The Nantucket challenge calls on the federal government to revoke the Constructions and Operations Plan for the wind farm, which secured an offtake agreement from the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in September 2024.
The Biden administration approved a COP for a larger 2.4GW plan in January, during the final days before Trump took office.
Nantucket officials welcomed the Trump administration’s move this week.
Nantucket Select Board member Brooke Mohr said: “Nantucket supports renewable energy and recognizes that proper permitting and policy making for wind energy development rests in the hands of the federal government.
“But the permitting for SouthCoast Wind failed to account for the significant harm the project will cause Nantucket, a federally designated National Historic Landmark. We welcome this opportunity for federal agencies to reevaluate their decision and correct course.”
SouthCoast Wind has been contacted for comment.