Trump Administration Lifts Stop Work Order on Empire Wind Project

WASHINGTON — In a major turn of events in the U.S. offshore wind sector, the Trump administration on Monday night lifted the stop work order that had all but doomed the Empire Wind energy project off the coast of New York state.

Equinor ASA, the company behind the $2.5 billion project, said late Monday that it had been informed by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that the April 16 order from the Trump administration had been rescinded and that construction activities can now resume.

“I would like to thank President Trump for finding a solution that saves thousands of American jobs and provides for continued investments in energy infrastructure in the U.S.,” said Anders Opedal, president and CEO of Equinor ASA, in a written statement.

“I am grateful to Gov. [Kathy] Hochul for her constructive collaboration with the Trump administration, without which we would not have been able to advance this project and secure energy for 500,000 homes in New York,” he continued, also commending New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and members of the New York congressional delegation for “their steadfast support for the project.” 

Hochul also thanked Trump for “his willingness to work with me to save the 1,500 good-paying union jobs that were on the line and helping get this essential project back on track.”

“Thousands of jobs. Hundreds of thousands of homes powered by clean energy. That’s what Empire Wind 1 was poised to deliver until a stop work order was issued on April 16 by the Department of Interior,” Hochul said in a written statement. 

“I knew this critical project needed to move forward and have spent weeks pushing the federal government to rescind the stop work order to allow the workers to return and ensure this important source of renewable power could come to fruition,” she continued.

“After countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials, bringing labor and business to the table to emphasize the importance of this project, I’m pleased that President Trump and Secretary Burgum have agreed to lift the stop work order and allow this project to move forward,” she said.

“Now, Equinor will resume the construction of this fully permitted project that had already received the necessary federal approvals. I also reaffirmed that New York will work with the administration and private entities on new energy projects that meet the legal requirements under New York law. In order to ensure reliability and affordability for consumers, we will be working in earnest to deliver on these objectives,” Hochul added.

The two-phase Empire Wind project consists of two separate offshore wind facilities located about 12 nautical miles south of Long Island, New York, and 16.9 nautical miles east of Long Branch, New Jersey.

Once completely built out, the 2,076-MW project would have the capability to power more than 700,000 homes each year. 

In February 2024, the Biden administration gave its approval to phase one of the project, the 810-MW Empire Wind 1, which was expected to power roughly 500,000 homes in the New York metropolitan area when it went into operation in 2027.

Those plans, however, came to a screeching halt on April 16, when Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that he believed the project was “rushed through by the prior administration without sufficient analysis or consultation among the relevant agencies as relates to the potential effects from the project.”

With that, Burgum ordered the company to “immediately halt all construction activities” on its offshore project pending further evaluation.

Also applauding the administration’s decision to roll back that order Monday night was the National Ocean Industries Association.

“We appreciate the Trump administration’s swift review of the Empire Wind project and engagement with state and local governments and other stakeholders,” said Erik Milito, the organization’s president, in a written statement. “Lifting the stop work order underscores the project’s critical role in safely advancing American energy, shipbuilding, workforce development and economic growth.

“The administration is clearing the way for major investments to move forward — activating American shipyards, creating high-quality jobs and accelerating the buildout of infrastructure needed to deliver reliable, domestic energy to the East Coast,” he continued, adding, “With power demand surging due to AI, data centers and advanced manufacturing, offshore wind is an important part of an all-of-the-above solution. Companies throughout the supply chain — from Louisiana to Texas to New York — will be able to see the return on their investments.”

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue