Trump Administration Derails Revolution Wind

The following article first appeared on Robinson+Cole’s Environmental Law Blog. It is reposted here with permission.

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On Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, the Trump administration announced the cancellation of the Revolution Wind project located off the south coast of Rhode Island, east of Block Island.

At the time of the stop work order, the project, based out of the State Pier in New London, was approximately 80% complete with foundations in place and 45 of 65 turbines installed.

Revolution Wind was slated to provide 304 MW of power to Connecticut and 400 MW of power to Rhode Island.

Following the completion of the project, the State Pier was poised to take delivery of parts for Sunrise Wind, an 84-turbine project off the coast of Long Island with the capacity to provide 924 MW of renewable energy.

Ørsted, the beleaguered developer of both projects, announced that it would comply with the order while evaluating its options and continuing to secure funding for Sunrise Wind.

Connecticut’s federal delegation questioned the basis for the stop-work order, which referenced unspecified national security interests.

Empire Wind Project

The cancellation of Revolution Wind is reminiscent of the administration’s April 2025 stop work order for the Empire Wind project off the coast of Long Island, which was under development at the time.

There, the U.S. Department of the Interior ultimately reversed its order following an intensive lobbying effort by Equinor ASA, the developer, which had coordinated with New York federal, state, and city officials to get the project back on track. 

Elsewhere, the lawsuit brought in a Massachusetts federal court by a coalition of 17 states and the District of Columbia following the Trump administration’s Jan. 20, 2025 executive order blocking federal permits for all new offshore wind development continues.

"We just hope that we can continue to finish the job,” says @EversourceCorp's Joe Nolan, calling the Revolution Wind project “critical for New England.” Scheduled to be fully operational next year, the wind farm will be capable of powering 350,000 homes. https://t.co/59c3knXGZu

— CBIA (@CBIANews) August 26, 2025

Opposition briefs to summary judgment motions were filed on Aug. 22, 2025. 

The plaintiffs argue that the administration’s “indefinite, across-the-board suspensions are arbitrary, capricious, or contrary to law” under the Administrative Procedure Act.

The government contends that the U.S. Department of Interior’s decision to follow an executive directive is a “quintessential non-final agency action” that is not subject to judicial review.

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About the author: Peter Knight is a partner in Robinson+Cole’s Environmental, Energy + Telecommunications Group, focused on environmental litigation and enforcement matters.