{"id":895,"date":"2026-01-05T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/?p=895"},"modified":"2026-01-08T10:41:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:41:47","slug":"new-england-wind-farm-saga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/new-england-wind-farm-saga\/","title":{"rendered":"New England wind farm construction veers into high-stakes legal and political standoff"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Revolution Wind Photos by Kelti Johnson<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-1024x683.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-1072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Off\u00adshore con\u00adstruc\u00adtion on Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind occurs about 15 miles off Rhode Island\u2019s coast. It is a fed\u00ader\u00adal lease area. Pho\u00adto by Kelti John\u00adson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Jen\u00adna Out\u00adcalt
UConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Eng\u00adlan\u00adders deal with some of the high\u00adest ener\u00adgy costs in the coun\u00adtry, but the con\u00adstruc\u00adtion of an off\u00adshore wind farm promised low\u00ader prices as well as new jobs for the region.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then came Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump, who had been feud\u00ading with the wind ener\u00adgy indus\u00adtry since before he even entered pol\u00adi\u00adtics. He has accused wind farms of ruin\u00ading land\u00adscapes and killing birds and whales and false\u00adly claimed their ener\u00adgy is more expen\u00adsive than oth\u00ader tra\u00addi\u00adtion\u00adal forms of ener\u00adgy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How\u00adev\u00ader, his oppo\u00adsi\u00adtion to wind farms is also polit\u00adi\u00adcal.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe does\u00adn\u2019t like renew\u00adable ener\u00adgy \u2014 but he does\u00adn\u2019t like renew\u00adable ener\u00adgy only because he thinks that Democ\u00adrats like it, and any\u00adthing that Democ\u00adrats like must be bad,\u201d U.S. Sen. Chris Mur\u00adphy, a Demo\u00adc\u00adrat from Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, said in an inter\u00adview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind, a 65-tur\u00adbine wind farm off the coast of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut and Rhode Island, promised to bring 304 and 400 megawatts of clean ener\u00adgy, respec\u00adtive\u00adly, to the states. The project cat\u00adalyzed a remod\u00adel\u00ading of New London\u2019s State Pier and was esti\u00admat\u00aded to cre\u00adate \u201cmore than 2,000 direct jobs across con\u00adstruc\u00adtion, man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00ading, ship\u00adbuild\u00ading, and oper\u00ada\u00adtions,\u201d accord\u00ading to its web\u00adsite.<\/a>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the wind farm quick\u00adly became a tar\u00adget in Trump\u2019s sec\u00adond term, with his admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion halt\u00ading con\u00adstruc\u00adtion and seek\u00ading to close it down as part of unprece\u00addent\u00aded exec\u00adu\u00adtive inter\u00adfer\u00adence with state ener\u00adgy projects. What ensued was a saga of legal bat\u00adtles between the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment and the com\u00adpa\u00adnies and states involved that probes the lim\u00adit of a president\u2019s pow\u00ader to reverse deci\u00adsions of pre\u00advi\u00adous admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtions on ide\u00ado\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal grounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Attor\u00adney Gen\u00ader\u00adal William Tong said the Trump administration\u2019s actions vio\u00adlat\u00aded the Admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtive Pro\u00adce\u00addure Act and the government\u2019s author\u00adi\u00adty under the Out\u00ader Con\u00adti\u00adnen\u00adtal Shelf Lands Act.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re ask\u00ading the court to step in right now, to rec\u00adog\u00adnize the irrepara\u00adble and imme\u00addi\u00adate harm we are suf\u00adfer\u00ading, and to stop the Trump Administration\u2019s impul\u00adsive and law\u00adless over\u00adreach,\u201d Tong said in a Sep\u00adtem\u00adber press release.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 A fed\u00ader\u00adal judge allowed con\u00adstruc\u00adtion on the wind farm to resume in fall 2025, but the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion has vowed to con\u00adtin\u00adue the fight against it.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

History of Revolution Wind<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind began in 2018 with a call for renew\u00adable ener\u00adgy pro\u00adpos\u00adals. Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut chose a pro\u00adpos\u00adal for an off\u00adshore wind farm by Deep\u00adwa\u00adter Wind, a com\u00adpa\u00adny that was soon acquired<\/a> by Dan\u00adish ener\u00adgy com\u00adpa\u00adny \u00d8rst\u00aded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Onshore con\u00adstruc\u00adtion began in 2023, mak\u00ading New Lon\u00addon a cen\u00adtral loca\u00adtion for off\u00adshore wind man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00ading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revolution Wind Photos by Scott Wallace<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-State-Pier-Scott-Wallace-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-State-Pier-Scott-Wallace-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Parts of wind turbines are organized at New London's State Pier.\" class=\"wp-image-1075\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-State-Pier-Scott-Wallace-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-State-Pier-Scott-Wallace-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-State-Pier-Scott-Wallace-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-State-Pier-Scott-Wallace-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-State-Pier-Scott-Wallace-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Onshore con\u00adstruc\u00adtion of tur\u00adbines for Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind occurred at the State Pier in New Lon\u00addon. The pier was ren\u00ado\u00advat\u00aded specif\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly for the project. Pho\u00adto by Scott Wal\u00adlace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis will not only begin a new era of renew\u00adable ener\u00adgy in our state, but it also means that hun\u00addreds of in-demand jobs will be sup\u00adport\u00aded in the New Lon\u00addon region, bring\u00ading a pos\u00adi\u00adtive eco\u00adnom\u00adic impact to the area and set\u00adting Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut on a path to become the pre\u00admier com\u00admer\u00adcial east coast hub for this sec\u00adtor,\u201d Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Gov. Ned Lam\u00adont said in a press release<\/a> at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While envi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal advo\u00adca\u00adcy groups and aca\u00add\u00ade\u00admics praised off\u00adshore wind as a key strat\u00ade\u00adgy in the bat\u00adtle against cli\u00admate change, some groups rose in oppo\u00adsi\u00adtion to the project, cit\u00ading envi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal con\u00adcerns about the con\u00adstruc\u00adtion and oper\u00ada\u00adtion of the wind tur\u00adbines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One group, Green Oceans, empha\u00adsized sea life health with a par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar focus on whales and the indus\u00adtri\u00adal\u00adiza\u00adtion of the ocean as its main rea\u00adsons for oppos\u00ading the off\u00adshore wind indus\u00adtry.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMain\u00adtain\u00ading a healthy ocean and pro\u00adtect\u00ading bio\u00addi\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty is our best defense against cli\u00admate change,\u201d Green Oceans stat\u00aded in a white paper<\/a>. \u201cTo assume that a par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar tech\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy will ben\u00ade\u00adfit cli\u00admate change with\u00adout proof could lead to irre\u00adversible harm.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oth\u00ader envi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal advo\u00adcates, how\u00adev\u00ader, dis\u00adagreed with this rea\u00adson\u00ading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dar\u00adr\u00e8ll Brown, the vice pres\u00adi\u00addent of Con\u00adser\u00adva\u00adtion Law Foun\u00adda\u00adtion in Rhode Island, said the biggest threat to the ocean is cli\u00admate change \u2013 which wind ener\u00adgy helps mit\u00adi\u00adgate by low\u00ader\u00ading reliance on fos\u00adsil fuels. With\u00adout off\u00adshore wind ener\u00adgy, \u201cwe\u2019re putting our\u00adselves behind the eight ball in terms of address\u00ading the need to reduce green\u00adhouse gas emis\u00adsions,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will not be able to meet those goals if we don\u2019t have off\u00adshore wind,\u201d Brown said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nathaniel Trum\u00adbull, an asso\u00adciate pro\u00adfes\u00adsor of geog\u00adra\u00adphy at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, said off\u00adshore wind\u2019s effi\u00adca\u00adcy must be con\u00adsid\u00adered in light of the glob\u00adal cli\u00admate cri\u00adsis.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur way for\u00adward is renew\u00adable ener\u00adgy,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is Connecticut\u2019s best shot at ful\u00adfill\u00ading some of our efforts to mit\u00adi\u00adgate and turn the page on ener\u00adgy con\u00adsump\u00adtion.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evan Ward, head of marine sci\u00adences at UConn, agreed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have to get a han\u00addle on cli\u00admate change. That\u2019s the exis\u00adten\u00adtial threat,\u201d he said. \u201cAny\u00adthing we can do to mit\u00adi\u00adgate cli\u00admate change is good.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indus\u00adtries work\u00ading with off\u00adshore wind con\u00adstruc\u00adtion were also quick to come to its defense. Among those com\u00adpa\u00adnies was Thay\u00ader\u00adMa\u00adhan, which was respon\u00adsi\u00adble for bub\u00adble cur\u00adtain tech\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy that damp\u00adened under\u00adwa\u00adter con\u00adstruc\u00adtion sounds to avoid dis\u00adrupt\u00ading wildlife. Ali Halvord\u00adson, the vice pres\u00adi\u00addent for busi\u00adness oper\u00ada\u00adtions at Thay\u00ader\u00adMa\u00adhan, said off\u00adshore wind was hold\u00ading itself to a much high\u00ader stan\u00addard than oth\u00ader marine indus\u00adtries, espe\u00adcial\u00adly in terms of wildlife pro\u00adtec\u00adtion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe off\u00adshore wind indus\u00adtry has require\u00adments to pro\u00adtect the envi\u00adron\u00adment, and one aspect of that is marine life,\u201d Halvord\u00adson said. \u201cI would say that the off\u00adshore wind indus\u00adtry is doing more than any oth\u00ader indus\u00adtry to pro\u00adtect the whales. It\u2019s the only indus\u00adtry right now that has require\u00adments.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although they empha\u00adsized envi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal con\u00adcerns, local oppo\u00adsi\u00adtion move\u00adments often had ties to larg\u00ader fos\u00adsil fuel inter\u00adests and con\u00adser\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive think tanks, accord\u00ading to a report from Brown University\u2019s Cli\u00admate Devel\u00adop\u00adment Lab called \u201cAgainst the Wind.<\/a>\u201d Tim\u00admons Roberts, one of the authors, said although local groups weren\u2019t always direct\u00adly fund\u00aded by these larg\u00ader orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions, they had ties to them through the infor\u00adma\u00adtion they shared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we say in that report, they\u2019re receiv\u00ading an infor\u00adma\u00adtion sub\u00adsidy,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cAnd that infor\u00adma\u00adtion includes strate\u00adgies and tac\u00adtics, as well as talk\u00ading points and memes and social media posts, and on and on.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonethe\u00adless, groups like Green Oceans, which denied any asso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion with fos\u00adsil fuel inter\u00adests, some\u00adtimes encour\u00adaged sin\u00adgle-issue vot\u00ading. Dur\u00ading the 2024 pres\u00adi\u00adden\u00adtial cam\u00adpaign \u2014 as tur\u00adbines were being installed off\u00adshore for the Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind project \u2014 the group encour\u00adaged vot\u00aders to sup\u00adport Trump because of his promise to dis\u00adman\u00adtle the off\u00adshore wind indus\u00adtry in the U.S. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s attacks on wind energy<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Revolution Wind Photos by Kelti Johnson<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-revwind-wide-2-Kelti-Johnson-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-revwind-wide-2-Kelti-Johnson-1024x683.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-1074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-revwind-wide-2-Kelti-Johnson-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-revwind-wide-2-Kelti-Johnson-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-revwind-wide-2-Kelti-Johnson-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-revwind-wide-2-Kelti-Johnson-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-revwind-wide-2-Kelti-Johnson-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind will have 65 tur\u00adbines in total. It was 80% com\u00adplete when the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion first halt\u00aded con\u00adstruc\u00adtion. Pho\u00adto by Kelti John\u00adson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trump has a long his\u00adto\u00adry of crit\u00adi\u00adciz\u00ading wind tur\u00adbines, accus\u00ading them of killing ani\u00admals, ruin\u00ading views and fail\u00ading to pro\u00advide con\u00adsis\u00adtent ener\u00adgy. In 2015, he lost a legal bat\u00adtle to pre\u00advent a wind farm near his golf course in Scot\u00adland but vowed to \u201cspend what\u00adev\u00ader monies are nec\u00ades\u00adsary to see these huge and unsight\u00adly indus\u00adtri\u00adal wind tur\u00adbines are nev\u00ader con\u00adstruct\u00aded,\u201d accord\u00ading to the BBC.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he vis\u00adit\u00aded Scot\u00adland in 2025, he expressed a sim\u00adi\u00adlar sen\u00adti\u00adment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re ruin\u00ading your coun\u00adtries. I real\u00adly mean it. It\u2019s so sad. You fly over and you see these wind\u00admills all over the place, ruin\u00ading your beau\u00adti\u00adful fields and val\u00adleys and killing your birds. And if they\u2019re stuck in the ocean, ruin\u00ading your oceans,\u201d he said, accord\u00ading to the Asso\u00adci\u00adat\u00aded Press<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the first day of his sec\u00adond term in Jan\u00adu\u00adary 2025, Trump made good on his promise to sti\u00adfle the wind ener\u00adgy indus\u00adtry. He issued an exec\u00adu\u00adtive order<\/a> call\u00ading for the reeval\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion of off\u00adshore wind projects. Although the exec\u00adu\u00adtive order pri\u00admar\u00adi\u00adly blocked the use of ocean areas for future wind farms, it also addressed the con\u00adstruc\u00adtion of wind farms that were already approved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith respect to such exist\u00ading leas\u00ades, the Sec\u00adre\u00adtary of the Inte\u00adri\u00ador, in con\u00adsul\u00adta\u00adtion with the Attor\u00adney Gen\u00ader\u00adal as need\u00aded, shall con\u00adduct a com\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsive review of the eco\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal, eco\u00adnom\u00adic, and envi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal neces\u00adsi\u00adty of ter\u00admi\u00adnat\u00ading or amend\u00ading any exist\u00ading wind ener\u00adgy leas\u00ades, iden\u00adti\u00adfy\u00ading any legal bases for such removal, and sub\u00admit a report with rec\u00adom\u00admen\u00adda\u00adtions to the Pres\u00adi\u00addent,\u201d the order states. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut joined a coali\u00adtion chal\u00adleng\u00ading the legal\u00adi\u00adty of the exec\u00adu\u00adtive order in May.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then in August, fed\u00ader\u00adal reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtors issued a stop-work order for Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind that bor\u00adrowed lan\u00adguage from Trump\u2019s exec\u00adu\u00adtive order. Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind was already ful\u00adly per\u00admit\u00adted, and all state and fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading for it had been ful\u00adly allo\u00adcat\u00aded. Con\u00adstruc\u00adtion was about 80% com\u00adplete, accord\u00ading to \u00d8rst\u00aded<\/a>. Tong and Rhode Island Attor\u00adney Gen\u00ader\u00adal Peter Neron\u00adha sued in fed\u00ader\u00adal court in Sep\u00adtem\u00adber, seek\u00ading a pre\u00adlim\u00adi\u00adnary injunc\u00adtion against the stop-work order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trump administration\u2019s strat\u00ade\u00adgy is to \u201cbreak it all apart, blow it up so that the fos\u00adsil fuel com\u00adpa\u00adnies can make as much mon\u00adey as they pos\u00adsi\u00adbly can in the short term,\u201d Tong said in an inter\u00adview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The law\u00adsuit is one of dozens of law\u00adsuits that Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut has joined against fed\u00ader\u00adal actions since Trump took office, includ\u00ading sev\u00ader\u00adal involv\u00ading envi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal health.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur strat\u00ade\u00adgy is to be a fire\u00adwall and to sue where we can \u2014 stand up for clean air, clean water where we can,\u201d Tong said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind project had gone through all the hur\u00addles and rig\u00ador of being per\u00admit\u00adted, the fed\u00ader\u00adal government\u2019s action was ille\u00adgit\u00adi\u00admate, Tong said. If these ques\u00adtions \u201chad not been addressed, it would not have been per\u00admit\u00adted,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A U.S. Dis\u00adtrict Court judge ruled on Sept. 22 in a par\u00adal\u00adlel case filed in the Dis\u00adtrict of Colum\u00adbia by \u00d8rst\u00aded that con\u00adstruc\u00adtion of the project could con\u00adtin\u00adue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion indi\u00adcat\u00aded that they would con\u00adtin\u00adue the legal fight against Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis will not be the final say on the mat\u00adter,\u201d White House spokesper\u00adson Anna Kel\u00adly said in response to the deci\u00adsion, Politi\u00adco<\/a> report\u00aded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Dec. 8, a fed\u00ader\u00adal judge ruled in favor of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut and the oth\u00ader states chal\u00adleng\u00ading Trump\u2019s orig\u00adi\u00adnal exec\u00adu\u00adtive order.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrump\u2019s errat\u00adic attacks on wind ener\u00adgy and his bizarre rants about wind\u00admills nev\u00ader made any sense. He was going to jack up ener\u00adgy costs for Amer\u00adi\u00adcan fam\u00adi\u00adlies and busi\u00adness\u00ades, fur\u00adther our reliance on fos\u00adsil fuels and for\u00adeign oil, and throw work\u00aders off good jobs,\u201d Tong said in a press release<\/a> the day after the rul\u00ading. \u201cWe sued, we won, and I\u2019m going to keep fight\u00ading to pro\u00adtect Connecticut\u2019s abil\u00adi\u00adty to secure our own ener\u00adgy future that makes sense for our costs and cli\u00admate.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adstruc\u00adtion on the wind farm con\u00adtin\u00adued until Dec. 22, when the Depart\u00adment of Inte\u00adri\u00ador sus\u00adpend\u00aded leas\u00ades<\/a> for five off\u00adshore wind farms, includ\u00ading Rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion Wind, say\u00ading it need\u00aded time to assess secu\u00adri\u00adty risks. Tong released a state\u00adment <\/a>that same day say\u00ading this was an \u201ceven more law\u00adless and errat\u00adic\u201d attempt to stall the project. He said the state was look\u00ading at its legal options to stop the new attack on the wind farm. Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut and Rhode Island filed a request for a pre\u00adlim\u00adi\u00adnary injunc\u00adtion<\/a> on Jan. 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism stu\u00addents Patrick Boots, Emi\u00adly Markelon and Aman\u00adda McCard con\u00adtributed report\u00ading to this arti\u00adcle.<\/em> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jen\u00adna Out\u00adcaltUConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism New Eng\u00adlan\u00adders deal with some of the high\u00adest ener\u00adgy costs in the coun\u00adtry, but the con\u00adstruc\u00adtion of an off\u00adshore wind farm promised low\u00ader prices as well as new jobs for the region.   Then came Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump, who had been feud\u00ading with the wind ener\u00adgy indus\u00adtry since before he even entered pol\u00adi\u00adtics. He has accused wind farms of ruin\u00ading land\u00adscapes and killing birds and whales and false\u00adly claimed their ener\u00adgy is more expen\u00adsive than oth\u00ader tra\u00addi\u00adtion\u00adal [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":973,"featured_media":1072,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[169,112,175,168,18,171,120,170],"class_list":["post-895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communities","tag-climate","tag-courts","tag-energy","tag-revolution-wind","tag-science","tag-sustainability","tag-william-tong","tag-wind-energy"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/REVWIND-A-crane-boa-5-Kelti-Johnson-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2026,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/08\/revolution-wind-stop-work-order\/","url_meta":{"origin":895,"position":0},"title":"Revolution Wind Stop Work Order","author":"Charlotte Harvey","date":"January 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press Release: AG Tong Files for Preliminary Injunction to Immediately Halt Revolution Wind Stop Work Order Preceding Event: According to Orsted, the company in charge of the\u00a0Revolution Wind\u00a0project, \"On 22 August 2025, \u00d8rsted\u2019s subsidiary Revolution Wind LLC, a 50\/50 joint venture with Global Infrastructure Partner\u2019s Skyborn Renewables, received an order\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lawsuits"","block_context":{"text":"lawsuits","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/lawsuits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1932,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/07\/halting-wind-energy\/","url_meta":{"origin":895,"position":1},"title":"Halting Wind Energy","author":"Charlotte Harvey","date":"January 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press Release: Attorney General Tong Sues Trump Administration for Halting Development of Wind Energy Preceding Event: On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a\u00a0Presidential Memorandum\u00a0that halted all federal approvals necessary for the development of on and offshore wind energy projects. All agencies halted the permitting process, and even stopped\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lawsuits"","block_context":{"text":"lawsuits","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/lawsuits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1980,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/08\/big-oil-and-energy-emergency\/","url_meta":{"origin":895,"position":2},"title":"Big Oil and Energy Emergency","author":"Charlotte Harvey","date":"January 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press Release: Attorney General Tong Challenges Trump Fake Energy Emergency Preceding Event: On Jan. 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump declared a \"national energy emergency\" with\u00a0Executive Order 14156. With the emergency declaration as justification, permits and other necessary approvals were being expedited and granted\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lawsuits"","block_context":{"text":"lawsuits","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/lawsuits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":441,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/07\/executive-power-overview\/","url_meta":{"origin":895,"position":3},"title":"Trump\u2019s second term shifts the balance of power to the executive ","author":"Dan Stark","date":"January 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Dan Stark\u00a0UConn Journalism Unparalleled. Unprecedented. Unchecked.\u00a0\u00a0 These\u00a0are\u00a0some of the words that have been used by many to describe the actions of President Donald Trump during his second term in office.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has taken sweeping actions that have promoted a broad\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Executive Power"","block_context":{"text":"Executive Power","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/executive-power\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2022,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/08\/doe-funding-cap-for-state-energy-programs\/","url_meta":{"origin":895,"position":4},"title":"DOE Funding Cap for State Energy Programs","author":"Charlotte Harvey","date":"January 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press Release: Attorney General Tong Sues to Stop Federal Cuts That Threaten State Energy Programs Preceding Event: On May 8, 2025, the Department of Energy announced\u00a0a new policy\u00a0ending the longstanding practice of federal funding given to states to support energy programs that \"have wide-ranging missions to promote energy efficiency, increase\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lawsuits"","block_context":{"text":"lawsuits","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/lawsuits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1802,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/07\/lawsuit-federal-funding-freeze-to-states\/","url_meta":{"origin":895,"position":5},"title":"Federal Funding Freeze to States","author":"Charlotte Harvey","date":"January 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press Release: Connecticut Sues to Stop Trump Administration from Withholding Essential Federal Funding Preceding Event: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued\u00a0directive \"M-25-13\"\u00a0on Jan. 27, 2025 which directed all federal agencies to indefinitely pause the majority of federal assistance funding and loans to states and other entities beginning at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lawsuits"","block_context":{"text":"lawsuits","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/lawsuits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgTa6m-er","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/973"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=895"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1978,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895\/revisions\/1978"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}