The U.S. Department of the Interior has ordered a halt to construction on Equinor’s Empire Wind offshore wind farm, a decision announced late on Wednesday, April 16. The project, approved in 2024 and already underway, is located approximately 12 nautical miles south of Long Island, New York, and 16.9 nautical miles east of Long Branch, New Jersey. The move has sparked criticism from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and surprised industry stakeholders.

Work was underway for Equinor's Empire Wind farm

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, in a statement posted on X, said: “Interior in consultation with Commerce is directing theBureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to immediately halt all construction activities on the Empire Wind project until further review of information that suggest the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis.” Burgum’s memorandum, obtained by FreeBeacon, highlighted concerns about the approval process, citing insufficient analysis and inter-agency consultation. He also instructed BOEM to review federal wind permitting practices for both existing and pending projects.

Equinor, a Norwegian energy company, acquired the Empire Wind lease in 2017. In June 2024, it signed a 25-year Purchase and Sale Agreement with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for Empire Wind 1 at $155.00/MWh. The project’s financial close was completed in December 2024, with estimated capital investments of around $5 billion, including fees for the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. New York granted final approvals in May 2024, and the project received its Clean Air Permit and Construction and Operations Plan approval in February 2024.

Governor Hochul responded with a statement, saying: “This fully federally permitted project has already put shovels in the ground before the President’s executive orders—it’s exactly the type of bipartisan energy solution we should be working on. As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy, and New York’s economic future.” Her remarks reflect ongoing efforts to advance renewable energy in New York.

Construction had started at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which serves as the project’s base, with offshore rock work planned for the near future. Empire Wind 1 and 2, with a combined capacity of 2,076 megawatts, were expected to power over 700,000 homes annually starting in 2027. The Interior’s decision follows a January 2025 order to review leasing and permitting practices, impacting several offshore wind projects, including a New Jersey project’s EPA permit withdrawal.