Federal Judge Allows Construction to Resume on Empire Wind Project

A federal judge has lifted the halt imposed by President Trump on a significant offshore wind farm project along Long Island’s South Shore, allowing work to recommence immediately.

The Empire Wind Project, which is a $6 billion offshore initiative situated about 14 miles from Jones Beach, can fully resume after being illegally paused by the Trump administration in December, as ruled by Judge Carl Nichols on Thursday.

The administration had cited vague national security concerns when it abruptly halted the project in December. Development company Equinor, a Norwegian energy firm chosen by Albany to oversee the installation of wind farms along the coastline, argued that the reasons behind the stop-work order were insufficiently explained, leading them to sue the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“The Empire Wind project was suspended under the false pretext of national security,” stated Governor Kathy Hochul.

“The work is completed, the platform is constructed, and thousands of workers from Long Island to New York City, and beyond, are laboring through all types of weather to contribute to our energy future, which is considered vital for the power grid. Yet, the Trump administration halted it.”

According to submissions to the court, at the time of the suspension, the project was more than 60% finished, but it faced the risk of missing essential construction deadlines, which could jeopardize the entire initiative.

The injunction granted Thursday allows Equinor to immediately restart offshore construction and carry on with the 810-megawatt wind farm, which is anticipated to start supplying power to over 500,000 residents in parts of New York City later this year.

Equinor has already invested around $4 billion into the project and plans to allocate an additional $2 billion before it’s finished, as stated in court documents.

“Empire Wind is now focused on safely resuming construction activities that were put on hold during the shutdown period. The project continues to collaborate with the U.S. government to ensure operations are safe and responsible,” commented Equinor spokesman David Shetz.

Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Republican Executive who presides over the project’s shoreline area, did not respond to a request for comment, although he has consistently expressed strong opposition to the initiative.

“The people of Nassau County don’t want offshore wind turbines,” Blakeman said at a Long Island Association breakfast earlier this month, as he is also in the running for governor.

Meanwhile, offshore wind initiatives in other states, such as Sunrise Wind along the Suffolk County coastline, are still stalled due to separate federal orders, despite Republican County Executive Ed Romaine’s support for them.

Sunrise Wind aims to add nearly 1,000 megawatts of power to Long Island’s energy grid by 2028 and is currently seeking court approval to recommence work.