California Energy Commission - California Sends Notice of Intent to File Second Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration's Unlawful Offshore Wind Lease Buyouts
California AG and Energy Commission file lawsuit to block Trump administration’s unlawful offshore wind lease buyouts using taxpayer money.Summary
On July 16, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild issued a Notice of Intent to Sue against the U.S. Department of Interior and Invenergy, alleging that a $111 million lease buyout in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area violates the "Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act." The agreement, announced June 17, 2026, would redirect federal funds to compel Invenergy to abandon its offshore wind lease and invest in fossil‑fuel or geothermal projects, a move that California says undermines its clean‑energy goals and job creation plans. The lawsuit follows a similar $120 million buyout of Golden State Wind LLC and part of a broader $2.6 billion Trump‑era program to cancel offshore wind leases nationwide. California’s action, joined by several other states, seeks to restore the state’s authority over coastal leasing, protect taxpayer dollars, and ensure that offshore wind projects can proceed to meet the CEC’s 25 GW target by 2045.
(Source：Globalrenewablenews)