The Trump administration has cleared the way for construction to resume on a major offshore wind farm off the New York coast after a month-long halt.
According to Fox Business, the $5 billion Empire Wind project, led by Norwegian energy company Equinor, has been allowed to re-commence work following the lifting of a federal stop-work order originally issued in April due to environmental analysis concerns.
On April 16, 2025, U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum halted all construction on the Empire Wind project, citing an environmental review that he said lacked adequate analysis. The decision surprised stakeholders and raised fears of financial instability within the renewable energy sector.
Empire Wind, which aims to supply electricity to half a million New York homes, had already completed 30 percent of its development when the stop-work order was issued. During the suspension, Equinor reported losses of $50 million per week to keep the project on standby.
The project had initially been granted its lease in 2017, during President Donald Trump’s first term. It later received final federal approval in 2023, while President Joe Biden was in office, as part of a broader effort to increase renewable energy capacity nationwide.
When issuing the stop-work order, Burgum referenced concerns from an internal report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The report raised possible risks to marine mammals and fishing activity in the region, leading the department to pause offshore work until additional assessments were completed.
Although President Trump has been critical of wind energy, describing some projects as costly eyesores that endanger wildlife, his administration eventually decided to allow construction on the Empire Wind site to resume. Equinor leadership actively engaged with both U.S. and Norwegian officials during the suspension to seek a resolution.
Equinor CEO Anders Opedal praised the Trump administration’s decision, saying it prevented further job losses and sustained critical infrastructure investments. Opedal also thanked Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg for advocating on behalf of the project.
Equinor noted that the project's offshore installation is still scheduled to begin later in 2025. The company plans to reach full commercial operation by 2027 despite the temporary delay in development caused by the federal pause.
The energy firm is currently conducting an updated economic evaluation of the Empire Wind effort during the second quarter of 2025. This review aims to better understand the long-term financial and operational impacts brought on by the government-mandated interruption.
The company is also coordinating closely with both suppliers and regulatory agencies to minimize the long-term effects of the construction delay. Officials say this collaboration will help maintain the project’s overall momentum without compromising compliance and safety standards.
According to Equinor, New York Governor Kathy Hochul played a vital role in restarting the project by working alongside state and federal authorities during negotiations. The company said her efforts helped bridge concerns between environmental regulators and energy developers.
The Empire Wind initiative is part of a broader growth of offshore wind in the U.S., although Trump has largely excluded wind power from his new domestic energy strategy. On January 20, 2025, the president signed an executive order pausing new leases and permitting wind developments nationwide.
Despite that order, there are currently four offshore wind farms operating in the U.S., with three additional ones under construction: Sunrise Wind and Revolution Wind in the Northeast, both led by Orsted, and the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project managed by Dominion Energy.
The Empire Wind project represents one of the largest renewable energy investments on the East Coast. Totaling $5 billion in value, the project is expected to transform the clean energy outlook for New York, reducing dependency on fossil fuels and creating new employment opportunities. Even with the resumption of work, the temporary shutdown added significant challenges. Equinor warned early in May that the pause could lead to losses amounting to billions of dollars if a timely resolution was not reached.
