BALTIMORE – Maryland Energy Administration Acting Director Ian Ullman today issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s ruling by Judge Patti Saris, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, that President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 executive memorandum is "arbitrary and capricious" under the law.  The ruling in favor of 17 states’ Attorneys General, including Maryland’s, declared key parts of Trump’s order unlawful and vacated the indefinite pause of wind energy permitting implemented by federal agencies that had followed the order.

“This ruling draws another bright red circle around President Trump’s reckless and illegal attempts to derail offshore wind energy development. While Trump’s executive actions were disruptive and unwarranted, the evidence that came forward in this case showed us again why offshore wind is so important to America’s economy and environment. This case also reminds us that the permitting approval processes for offshore wind were robust and thorough, and that the benefits of offshore wind far outweigh the detriments. This case reaffirms that the law and thoughtful policymaking still matters.”