New York offshore wind project to resume construction after judge lifts Trump suspension
The Marmac 306, a cable laying barge, in the New York Harbor in New York, US, on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The crew of an American-flagged barge will lay cable to connect the Empire Wind farm to New York City’s grid a milestone for an embattled sector.
Bryan Derballa | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Empire Wind will resume construction off the coast of New York, after a federal judge on Thursday temporarily lifted the Trump administration’s suspension of the project.
The preliminary injunction issued by Judge Carl J. Nichols of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is the latest setback for President Donald Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind projects.
Equinor, the Norwegian company developing Empire Wind, said it “will now focus on safely restarting construction activities that were halted during the suspension period.”
“In addition, the project will continue to engage with the U.S. government to ensure the safe, secure and responsible execution of its operations,” Equinor said in a statement Thursday.
The Department of Interior halted five wind projects off the East Coast, including Empire Wind, on Dec. 22 claiming national security concerns. Equinor filed a lawsuit on Jan. 2 calling the suspenstion “the latest unlawful action” by the Trump administration against the development of offshore wind.
The other projects targeted by Trump are Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Vineyard Wind 1 off Massachusetts, Revolution Wind off Rhode Island, and Sunrise Wind off Long Island and New England.
A federal judge on Monday allowed Orsted’s Revolution Wind off Rhode Island to also resume construction.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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