Attorney General Mayes Wins Court Order Striking Down Trump Freeze on Wind Energy Development

PHOENIX – Attorney General Mayes announced that a federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to freeze the development of wind energy. Judge Patti Saris found that Trump’s so called “Wind Order” was both arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law, and vacated the order in its entirety. 

“Trump’s illegal wind order would have driven up energy costs on Arizonans already struggling with high utility bills,” said Attorney General Mayes. “In Arizona, wind energy projects on State Trust lands also generate critical revenue that supports our public schools. The Trump administration’s illegal freeze of these programs would have harmed Arizona and threatened our state’s economy and environment. I am proud to have sued to block this unlawful order.”

Judge Saris further found that Arizona and its co-plaintiff states established standing on multiple fronts, including that delays caused by the Wind Order would cost the States’ tax and other anticipated revenue, create impediments to States’ timely implementation of greenhouse gas mitigation efforts, and make energy more expensive in the long run. 

Attorney General Mayes sued the Trump administration in May alongside the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.

A copy of Judge Saris’ ruling is available here.