Eight states led by California and New York filed lawsuits on September 22, 2026 challenging the Trump administration's payment of over $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds to cancel offshore wind leases held by Invenergy and Bluepoint Wind. The administration has pledged nearly $4 billion total to buy back offshore wind leases nationwide since March 2026, with companies redirecting funds toward fossil fuel and geothermal projects. State attorneys general call the deals illegal diversions of money that should lower utility bills, while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defends the buybacks as investments in dependable energy infrastructure. The legal battle escalates after federal courts previously blocked Trump's executive actions against offshore wind development.
Multi-state offshore wind lawsuits
- ▪Letitia James called the Trump administration offshore wind lease buyback deals illegal.
- ▪New York Attorney General Letitia James led seven states in lawsuits on September 22, 2026 seeking to block the Invenergy deal announced in June and another proposal with Bluepoint Wind
- ▪California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the Trump administration on September 22, 2026 over removal of an offshore wind project off California's coast planned by Invenergy.
- ▪The Interior Department did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuits filed by California and New York
- ▪Donald Trump addressed the U.N. General Assembly on September 22, 2026.
- ▪Attorneys general in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont joined New York's lawsuit against the Trump administration's offshore wind lease cancellations
- ▪The article was published on September 22, 2026.
Trump lease buyback payments
- ▪In exchange for reimbursements of lease fees, companies receiving the Trump administration's offshore wind lease buyback payments are investing in fossil fuel projects and geothermal energy
- ▪The Interior Department oversees offshore development.
- ▪Bluepoint Wind agreed in April 2026 to end a wind farm under development off the New York and New Jersey coast.
- ▪The Interior Department started buying back offshore wind leases in March 2026.
- ▪The Trump administration announced in June 2026 that it is buying back Invenergy's U.S. offshore wind leases for four wind projects on the East and West coasts.
- ▪The Invenergy and Bluepoint Wind offshore wind lease buyback deals would hand energy companies $1.4 billion in taxpayer dollars in exchange for the cancellation of multiple offshore wind projects
- ▪The Trump administration has pledged nearly $4 billion since March 2026 to companies to walk away from offshore wind projects across the country
Federal court wind development blocks
- ▪Donald Trump has said his goal is to not let any windmills be built.
- ▪Federal courts thwarted Trump's efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action.
State climate action efforts
- ▪New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President Doreen Harris said states are confident they will ultimately succeed in court against the Trump administration.
- ▪Rob Bonta spoke at a Climate Week event in New York City on September 22, 2026.
- ▪California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild said states retain the ability to drive a transition away from fossil fuels.
- ▪Rob Bonta said California finds itself enmeshed in avoidable and unnecessary battles with the federal government to advance climate action and move toward clean energy.
- ▪Rob Bonta and other officials participated in a Climate Week panel on September 22, 2026 about state leadership on wind energy.
- ▪Offshore wind produces electricity cleanly.
Fossil fuel investment shift
- ▪Letitia James said the Trump administration offshore wind lease buyback deals take money that should have gone toward lowering New Yorkers' bills and hand it to fossil fuel projects in other states.
- ▪Oil, coal and natural gas emit carbon pollution when burned.
- ▪Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said companies receiving offshore wind lease buybacks are shifting investment back toward dependable, secure energy infrastructure that can power the economy and lower utility costs.
Perspective of State attorneys general coalition (California, New York, and six other states)
- ▪Rob Bonta said California finds itself enmeshed in avoidable and unnecessary battles with the federal government to advance climate action and move toward clean energy.
- ▪Letitia James said the Trump administration offshore wind lease buyback deals take money that should have gone toward lowering New Yorkers' bills and hand it to fossil fuel projects in other states.
Perspective of Trump administration (Interior Department)
- ▪Donald Trump has said his goal is to not let any windmills be built.
- ▪Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said companies receiving offshore wind lease buybacks are shifting investment back toward dependable, secure energy infrastructure that can power the economy and lower utility costs.
Debatable claims
- ▪Offshore wind development will lower Americans' electricity bills
- ▪Trump administration's offshore wind lease buybacks are illegal
- ▪Trump administration should pay companies to cancel offshore wind leases
Story comments
Loading comments…