Attorney General Phil Weiser sues Trump administration for halting wind energy development
May 5, 2025 (DENVER) – Attorney General Phil Weiser today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its unlawful attempt to freeze the development of wind energy.
“Colorado’s energy future depends on limiting our carbon emissions and deploying more clean power generation like wind and solar,” said Attorney General Weiser. “I won’t sit by and let the federal government’s overreach, intimidation tactics, and unlawful orders stop us from addressing climate change, creating jobs, providing low-cost forms of energy, and building a clean energy future for our state and nation.”
On January 20, President Trump issued a memorandum that indefinitely halted all federal approvals necessary for the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects pending federal review. Federal agencies have now stopped all permitting and approval activities.
Colorado relies heavily on wind energy to generate electricity. Nearly one-third of electric generation came from wind in 2023 (opens new window), nearly as much as the state relies on coal and natural gas, and wind makes up around 70% of Colorado’s renewable energy portfolio. Colorado’s utilities are also planning to generate more power from renewable sources, including wind, in the coming years to meet the state’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2040.
The attorneys general allege that the president’s directive harms their states’ efforts to secure reliable, diversified, and affordable sources of energy to meet their increasing demand for electricity and help reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants, meet clean energy goals, and address climate change. The directive also threatens to thwart the states’ significant investments in wind industry infrastructure, supply chains, and workforce development—investments that already total billions of dollars. Wind energy is a growing share of Colorado’s economy and job market, supporting over 9,000 jobs as of 2024 (opens new window).
The coalition argues that the memorandum violates the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws because it provides no reasoned explanation for categorically and indefinitely halting all wind energy development—a sudden change that reverses longstanding federal policy and is inconsistent with recent federal action propping up other forms of energy. The lawsuit also alleges that the abrupt halt on all permitting violates numerous federal statutes that prescribe specific procedures and timelines for federal permitting and approvals—procedures the administration wholly disregarded in stopping wind-energy development altogether.
The attorneys general are asking the court to declare the president’s directive illegal and prevent the administration from taking any action to delay or prevent wind energy development.
Joining Attorney General Weiser in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov