Connecticut and Rhode Island to Sue to Overturn Baseless Revolution Wind Stop Work Order

Press Releases

09/04/2025

Connecticut and Rhode Island to Sue to Overturn Baseless Revolution Wind Stop Work Order

Fully Permitted, Nearly Complete Revolution Wind Expected to Power 350,000 New England Homes, Save Ratepayers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars, Support 2,500 Jobs

(Hartford, CT) – Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that Connecticut and Rhode Island will sue the Trump administration in Rhode Island federal court today to overturn the baseless stop work order abruptly issued on August 22 halting construction of Revolution Wind.

Located fifteen nautical miles off the coast of Rhode Island, Revolution Wind is a wind energy facility expected to deliver enough electricity to the New England grid to power 350,000 homes, or 2.5 percent of the region’s electricity supply beginning in 2026. Revolution Wind is projected to save Connecticut and Rhode Island ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars over 20 years. The Revolution Wind project supports over 2,500 jobs nationwide in the construction, operations, shipbuilding and manufacturing sectors, including over 1,000 union construction jobs. The project has been vetted and approved through every layer of the federal and state regulatory process and is supported by binding contracts and legal mandates. Construction is nearly complete.

The August 22 stop work order issued by the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) did not identify any violation of law or imminent threat to safety. The order abstractly cites BOEM’s authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), ordering the stop so that the agency may address unidentified “concerns.” No explanation was provided.

The complaint, to be filed against the Department of the Interior, BOEM and their appointed leaders alleges that such arbitrary and capricious government conduct violates both the Administrative Procedure Act and the government’s authority under OCSLA. Both laws “demand reasoned decision-making, fidelity to statutory limits, and respect for the settled expectations of sovereign States and regulated parties,” the complaint states. “The States of Connecticut and Rhode Island sue to vindicate those principles. They seek to restore the rule of law, protect their energy and economic interests, and ensure that the federal government honors its commitments.”

The complaint asks that the court declare the stop work order unlawful and block the Trump administration from halting Revolution Wind’s development.

“Revolution Wind is fully permitted, nearly complete and months from providing enough American-made, clean, affordable energy to power 350,000 homes. Now, with zero justification, Trump wants to mothball the project, send workers home, and saddle Connecticut families with millions of dollars in higher energy costs. This kind of erratic and reckless governing is blatantly illegal, and we’re suing to stop it,” said Attorney General Tong.

“With Revolution Wind, we have an opportunity to create good-paying jobs for Rhode Islanders, enhance energy reliability, and ensure energy cost savings while protecting our environment,” said Attorney General Neronha. “And yet, this stop work order is not even the latest development in this Administration’s all-out assault on wind energy. Just yesterday, we learned of reports that the Administration is pulling in staff from several different unrelated federal agencies, including Health and Human Services, to do its bidding. Does this sound like a federal government that is prioritizing the American people? This is bizarre, this is unlawful, this is potentially devastating, and we won’t stand by and watch it happen.”

“It’s been nearly two weeks, and the Trump Administration still has not explained or justified its decision to halt construction of Revolution Wind. While this is unacceptable, there is still a path forward if Washington is willing to be a partner. We hoped to work with the Administration to lower energy costs, strengthen grid reliability, create jobs, and drive economic growth, but only if they share those goals. But if they do not, we will act to preserve this vital project and protect the energy future of Connecticut and the entire New England region,” said Governor Ned Lamont.

“Shutting down Revolution Wind is insane, illogical, and illegal. Thousands of workers are without jobs, businesses may close, and energy prices will only climb higher because of this foolish decision. I applaud Attorney General Tong for his swift action against the Trump Administration,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.

“Trump’s corrupt stop-work order is a giveaway to the oil industry that will cost thousands of local jobs and force working families in New England to pay higher energy prices, just so his billionaire donors can make an extra buck. The Revolution Wind project has already made it through exhaustive reviews by multiple federal agencies, and I doubt Trump’s flimsy excuses for scuttling this project will stand up to legal scrutiny. I applaud Governor Lamont, Attorney General Tong, and their counterparts in Rhode Island for holding him accountable,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

“The impact of the Trump Administration’s halt work order is going to cause immediate significant harm for a project that is 80% complete. Given the stakes in terms of jobs and energy costs, this lawsuit is well founded,” Congressman Joe Courtney said. “As I have pointed out since the order was announced, any and all national security concerns for the Revolution Wind project were vetted and mitigated by Ørsted, the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. As such, there was no justification for such a drastic action by the Trump Administration."

Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Cheney, Deputy Associate Attorney General Matthew Levine, Chief of the Environment Section, Solicitor General Michael Skold and Deputy Solicitor General Evan O’Roark are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

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Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
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