Federal Judge Allows Empire Wind Construction to Resume, Delivering Another Court Setback to Trump Administration
A federal judge allowed Equinor's Empire Wind project to resume construction while reviewing the administration's suspension order, marking another legal setback for the Trump administration.
Overview
District Judge Carl J. Nichols, a Trump appointee, ruled Empire Wind can continue construction while he reviews the merits of the government's suspension order, faulting the government for procedural lapses.
The Trump administration froze five East Coast offshore wind projects days before Christmas, citing national security concerns; developers and states promptly filed lawsuits to block the pause.
Orsted recently won a similar ruling for Revolution Wind; Dominion and Vineyard Wind are pursuing legal challenges as developers seek to resume halted construction.
Empire Wind is roughly 60% complete, meant to power over 500,000 homes; Equinor warned the pause threatened the project due to limited specialized vessels and mounting financial losses.
Judge Nichols questioned whether the government's security concerns focused on operations rather than construction; the Associate Attorney General pressed back, and New York officials criticized the unexplained pause.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the legal dispute with neutral, evidence-focused reporting, citing court rulings, quotes from both developers and officials, and context on projects' scale and impacts. They balance government claims (national security) with developer and state responses, include opposing voices, and avoid loaded editorializing, emphasizing procedural and factual details.
Sources (4)
FAQ
Empire Wind is a $5 billion offshore wind project off the coast of New York, developed by Equinor under contract with NYSERDA, expected to power approximately 500,000 homes upon completion in 2027.
The U.S. Department of the Interior suspended the project on December 22, 2025, citing national security concerns related to wind turbine blades potentially interfering with radar, based on a Pentagon complaint.
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols granted a preliminary injunction on January 15, 2026, allowing construction to resume while reviewing the suspension order, due to procedural lapses by the government.
The project is approximately 60% complete and has created nearly 4,000 jobs; the suspension threatened it due to limited specialized vessels and mounting financial losses.
Yes, the Trump administration froze five East Coast projects; Orsted won a similar injunction for Revolution Wind, while Dominion, Vineyard Wind, and Sunrise Wind are pursuing legal challenges.
History
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