NEW JERSEY — New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has joined a coalition of seven states in a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s cancellation of offshore wind leases that were planned to support energy projects serving New Jersey and New York.
The lawsuit, filed against the U.S. Department of the Interior and other federal agencies, seeks to overturn the cancellation of offshore wind leases held by Attentive Energy, a subsidiary of French energy company TotalEnergies.
According to state officials, Attentive Energy paid $795 million in 2022 for an offshore wind lease located about 47 miles off the coast of New York. The lease area was expected to support two proposed projects — one serving New York City and another serving New Jersey.
State officials said the Department of the Interior announced a settlement agreement in March 2026 under which TotalEnergies agreed to cancel two offshore wind leases in exchange for federal payments and commitments to invest in energy infrastructure projects elsewhere.
Governor Mikie Sherrill criticized the federal government’s actions.
“Instead of promoting more energy development and deployment when we need it most, the Trump Administration once again finds ways to make life more difficult and more expensive for everyday New Jerseyans,” said Governor Mikie Sherrill. “New Jersey, New York, and other coastal states will not stand by while this president interferes with our clean energy plans that will ultimately lower costs for our residents, who are currently buckling under the expenses created by his war and tariffs.”
Davenport said the lawsuit seeks to restore the leases and challenge what the states allege was an unlawful cancellation process.
“New Jersey needs more power supply. The federal government’s lawless attack on clean energy development is bad for the grid, for our economy, and for ratepayers,” said Attorney General Davenport. “In a favor to the oil and gas industry, the administration took our tax dollars and canceled our agreements with Attentive Energy without any justification whatsoever. I will not stand by while the rule of law is trampled on by this administration, and I am confident we will prevail in court.”
According to the lawsuit, the coalition argues that the federal government violated multiple laws, including the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, when it canceled the leases.
The states also contend the federal government improperly used the federal Judgment Fund to reimburse TotalEnergies as part of the settlement agreement.
Federal officials have said national security concerns justified the cancellation of the leases. The coalition argues that the lease area had already undergone years of federal review and approval before the cancellation was announced.
State officials said the proposed wind projects were expected to generate more than 2.7 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 1.3 million homes in New Jersey and New York.
The lawsuit asks the court to vacate the settlement agreement, restore the offshore wind leases and block further implementation of the agreement.
The case was led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and includes attorneys general from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Jersey.
