Case: State of California v. United States Department of the Interior
3:26-cv-09123 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Filed Date: Aug. 28, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This case challenges the Trump administration’s attempts to halt offshore wind energy projects by buying out developers’ leases through settlements.
On August 28, 2026, the State of California sued the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Department of Justice, and their relevant officials in their official capacities in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The offshore wind developer Golden State Wind was also named as a Defendant.
On April 27, 2026, the Department of the Interior had announced a settlement agreement (Settlement) to buy out and then cancel an offshore wind lease for a Morro Bay project off the California coast held by Golden State Wind, a developer. The federal government would also pay the company about $120 million in exchange for Golden State Wind affiliates investing a matching amount in Gulf Coast fossil fuel projects.
California alleged that Defendants bypassed the federal procedures required to cancel an offshore lease, relied on a pretextual national security rationale, and used funding that Congress had not appropriated for that purpose.
California challenged the lease cancellation and the Settlement on three grounds. First, it alleged that Defendants' actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act and various federal statutes, including the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), the Coastal Zone Management Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Judgment Fund Act, the Antideficiency Act, the Purpose Statute, and the Miscellaneous Receipts Act. Second, it alleged that the Settlement violated the separation of powers doctrine and constituted Executive branch infringement on Congress's Spending Clause and Appropriations Clause powers. Third, it alleged that the lease cancellation and Settlement were ultra vires actions.
Accordingly, California sought a declaration that the lease cancellation and Settlement were contrary to law, an order compelling compliance with the OCSLA and vacating the lease cancellation and Settlement, and injunctive relief enjoining Defendants from giving effect to the lease cancellation or Settlement or entering into similar settlement agreements with any other California offshore wind lessees. It also sought costs and attorneys’ fees.
The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar. On September 22, 2026, California filed a notice of a related case in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, State of California v. United States Department of the Interior (Case no. 26-cv-9123-JST). Finding the cases related, Judge Tigar ordered that the case be reassigned to him.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Madison Krumins (10/23/2026)
Related Cases
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/74715527/parties/state-of-california-v-united-states-department-of-the-interior/
Tigar, Jon Steven (California)
Collins, Natalie (California)
McCombs, Theodore (California)
Park, Myung J. (California)
Stevens, Jeremy (California)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/74715527/state-of-california-v-united-states-department-of-the-interior/
Last updated Oct. 23, 2026, 10:10 a.m.
Docket for: State of California v. United States Department of the Interior
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Aug. 28, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The State of California, by and through Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Energy Commission (CEC).
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Department of Justice
Department of the Interior
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321–4370f
Constitutional Clause(s):
Spending/Appropriations Clauses
Other Dockets:
Northern District of California 3:26-cv-09123
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Environmental Justice and Resources:
Case Summary of State of California v. United States Department of the Interior, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48534/ (last updated 10/23/2026).