A federal judge, Carl J. Nichols, permitted the Empire Wind offshore wind project in New York to resume construction while he considers the legality of the Trump administration’s order to pause it.
The Trump administration had recently frozen five major offshore wind projects on the East Coast, citing national security concerns, which developers and states challenged in court.
The big picture: Empire Wind, owned by Norwegian company Equinor, said the suspension would have hurt the project irreparably; Equinor welcomed the court’s decision and pledged ongoing cooperation with authorities.
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul praised the ruling, calling the national security justification “bogus” and stating the administration couldn’t specify the alleged threat.
- The court’s decision marks the second win in a week for offshore wind developers; just days earlier, another judge allowed Ørsted’s Revolution Wind project to proceed in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
What we’re watching: Additional lawsuits are underway, including one from Ørsted regarding Sunrise Wind in New York, and Dominion Energy plans to seek similar relief for its Virginia project.
