New York's Long- Awaited Offshore Wind Project Gets Green Light After Trump-Era Halt
A federal court in Washington D.C. has issued a preliminary injunction, allowing Norwegian energy giant Equinor to resume construction on its Empire 1 offshore wind project off the coast of New York, about 14 miles southeast of Long Island. The project was halted by the Trump administration last year citing unspecified safety and national security concerns.
The halt had significant implications for the region, as thousands of union workers were employed in the project. Moreover, billions of dollars have been invested in constructing and reviving local infrastructure to support the wind farms. The energy firms and stakeholders argued that the pause jeopardized these investments and hindered economic growth.
Equinor has stated that it will focus on safely restarting construction activities and engaging with the U.S. government to ensure responsible operation of its operations. However, the company's efforts were met with resistance from the White House, which described wind energy as "the scam of the century."
The decision comes after New York Attorney General's office sued the administration over the federal freeze on permitting new wind energy projects. The court's ruling grants Equinor a preliminary injunction, paving the way for the project to proceed.
A similar case is ongoing at Sunrise, another offshore wind project from Danish energy firm Orsted. While Equinor has been granted permission to resume construction, the status of Orsted's project remains uncertain as it continues to seek a preliminary injunction against the administration's work stoppage order.
Critics have warned that even with this development, further disruptions or delays are possible if the federal government decides to revisit its security concerns. As one advocacy group noted, "they still do not ensure that these projects will be completed," highlighting the ongoing uncertainty surrounding wind energy policies in the United States.
A federal court in Washington D.C. has issued a preliminary injunction, allowing Norwegian energy giant Equinor to resume construction on its Empire 1 offshore wind project off the coast of New York, about 14 miles southeast of Long Island. The project was halted by the Trump administration last year citing unspecified safety and national security concerns.
The halt had significant implications for the region, as thousands of union workers were employed in the project. Moreover, billions of dollars have been invested in constructing and reviving local infrastructure to support the wind farms. The energy firms and stakeholders argued that the pause jeopardized these investments and hindered economic growth.
Equinor has stated that it will focus on safely restarting construction activities and engaging with the U.S. government to ensure responsible operation of its operations. However, the company's efforts were met with resistance from the White House, which described wind energy as "the scam of the century."
The decision comes after New York Attorney General's office sued the administration over the federal freeze on permitting new wind energy projects. The court's ruling grants Equinor a preliminary injunction, paving the way for the project to proceed.
A similar case is ongoing at Sunrise, another offshore wind project from Danish energy firm Orsted. While Equinor has been granted permission to resume construction, the status of Orsted's project remains uncertain as it continues to seek a preliminary injunction against the administration's work stoppage order.
Critics have warned that even with this development, further disruptions or delays are possible if the federal government decides to revisit its security concerns. As one advocacy group noted, "they still do not ensure that these projects will be completed," highlighting the ongoing uncertainty surrounding wind energy policies in the United States.
I'm glad Equinor got the green light to start construction on their Empire 1 project again... but I gotta say, it's a bit concerning that the White House is still being super harsh on wind energy 
. I get that safety and security are important, but come on, billions of dollars have been invested already 
. Thousands of union workers were counting on this project to bring some economic growth to the area 
.
still gotta see how that one plays out. The fact that they're seeking a preliminary injunction against the admin's work stoppage order is just adding to the uncertainty 
. I guess we'll have to wait and see if these projects can finally get off the ground 
.
. And let's not forget what the White House said about wind energy – that was some pretty shady stuff 
. I'm not buying it that this is just about ensuring safe construction and cooperation with the government... there's more to it than meets the eye 
. This whole thing feels like a massive PR stunt to me 
. Mark my words, we'll be seeing even more hiccups down the line 
.
so glad this is finally happening! i mean, thousands of people are counting on those jobs and the economic growth it brings to the community. like, we need that kind of progress, you know? 
️ that's what we want to see.
although i do wish we could move past all that already. moving on, i'm excited to see this project come to fruition! 
. I mean, think about it - thousands of people lost their jobs and billions of dollars were invested because of some safety concerns 
. We need more of these offshore wind farms ASAP!
.
I'm so stoked that Equinor can finally get back to work on Empire 1 offshore wind project! Those thousands of union workers must be super relieved too 
It's like, we're one of the biggest polluters in the world, and you're worried about "security" concerns 
. It's like, what even is "national security" when it comes to wind farms? 
!
. Like, can't we just agree to move forward already? The fact that it's been halted for so long and then got stuck in a court battle is just ridiculous. And what's up with the White House's weird stance on wind energy? "The scam of the century"? Give me a break! 
It's not like they're not making money off of fossil fuels or anything.
! finally, some sanity returns to the US on climate change issues. offshore wind farms are like, a no-brainer for reducing carbon emissions. can't believe trump's admin tried to halt this project citing safety concerns - i mean come on, we're living in 2025 and still worried about safety? 
. I mean, come on, "the scam of the century"? Give me a break! 
The fact that they were putting thousands of union workers' jobs at risk is just unacceptable. We need to be promoting clean energy not hamstringing its development.
. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure and local businesses are counting on this project to drive growth. It's a no-brainer, folks! The administration should be working with Equinor to make sure this project gets done safely and responsibly.
And yeah, not sure what's going on with Orsted's project yet... can't say I'm surprised given how messy things are getting around there.