A federal court has temporarily blocked parts of the Trump administration’s permitting policies that wind and solar industry groups say have delayed or halted renewable energy projects nationwide.

U.S. District Judge Denise Casper, a Boston-based judge appointed during the Obama administration, issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday in a case brought by nine advocacy organizations and trade groups. The plaintiffs argued that recent federal permitting changes created unlawful barriers to development.

The ruling centers on policies implemented by the Department of the Interior and other agencies that require multiple layers of political review for wind and solar project approvals. According to the court’s findings, those procedures likely contributed to delays and cancellations of renewable energy projects across the country.

Judge Casper wrote that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in showing the government adopted the policies without adequate justification, potentially violating the Administrative Procedure Act. Her order specifically referenced a requirement that nearly all wind and solar permitting steps receive approval from senior political appointees, including the Interior Secretary.

The challenged policies were outlined in internal Interior Department guidance issued in July, which established expanded review authority over renewable energy permitting decisions. The memo also cited presidential directives aimed at reducing federal support for wind development and prioritizing fossil fuel expansion.

The lawsuit, filed in December, argued that the changes created a bottleneck in the permitting process and placed wind and solar energy in a “regulatory second-class status,” according to plaintiffs’ legal filings.

The Interior Department and attorneys for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the ruling.

The decision adds to a series of court challenges involving federal energy policy as the Trump administration has moved to expand oil, coal, and natural gas production while scaling back support for certain renewable projects. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act in connection with energy policy initiatives aimed at strengthening domestic fossil fuel output and framing it as part of broader defense readiness concerns.

The preliminary injunction applies to members of the plaintiff organizations and remains in effect while the underlying case proceeds.