In a reversal, Trump administration greenlights stalled offshore wind project near New York

The Biden-era-approved Empire Wind project will move forward after President Trump lifted a stop-work order, following direct lobbying from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Norwegian developer Equinor.

Jake Spring reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

The Empire Wind project, stalled by an April executive order halting offshore wind work, will resume after Hochul held multiple calls with Trump urging him to lift the stop-work order.
Equinor had been losing $50 million per week during the pause and warned it would cancel the project if no resolution came soon. Work had already begun onshore in Brooklyn, with offshore construction set to start this month.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum praised Hochul’s willingness to work with the administration on energy infrastructure.
Trump has pushed to revive the Constitution Pipeline to bring shale gas from Pennsylvania to the Northeast; New York State did not provide environmental approval for that project and it was abandoned in 2020.

Key quote:

“We feel strongly that this is bigger than Empire Wind and the offshore wind industry. This is about energy projects that are under construction being stopped.”

— Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewable Americas

Why this matters:

The Empire Wind case shows just how precarious the clean energy transition remains. Offshore wind promises thousands of union jobs and zero-emission electricity for millions, but abrupt reversals in federal support threaten to chill investment and derail progress. The Trump administration’s initial pause on Empire Wind sent shockwaves through the industry, signaling that even shovel-ready projects with major capital invested could be upended by political whim.

www.washingtonpost.com

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