New York Files Lawsuits Against Trump Administration Over Halting Offshore Wind Projects

New York has filed lawsuits against the Trump administration after the federal government ordered construction to stop on two major offshore wind projects that the state says are essential for electricity supply, jobs, and climate commitments.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken the cases to the US District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging stop-work orders issued by the Department of the Interior (DOI) for the Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind projects.

Developed by Ørsted and Equinor, the projects are expected to provide electricity to more than one million homes in New York.

The Interior Department ordered both projects to suspend construction for at least 90 days on December 22, citing unspecified national security concerns based on classified information.

The department has said the move followed concerns raised by the Pentagon that offshore wind turbines could interfere with radar systems and affect the detection of security threats.

An Interior Department spokesperson said the agency would not comment on the matter because the cases are now before the courts.

In the lawsuits, Attorney General James argues that the stop-work orders are unlawful and were issued without proper explanation. Her office says the projects were already under construction and had undergone years of federal, state, and local reviews, including assessments involving national security and safety issues.

The lawsuits state that the federal government did not explain why existing safeguards were suddenly considered inadequate.

James said the decision to halt construction could harm workers, families, and New York’s clean energy goals, and that her office is seeking court intervention to prevent the orders from being enforced.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has supported the legal action, saying the projects are fully permitted and critical to the state’s energy supply. She warned that stopping construction could cost thousands of jobs and reduce the availability of power needed to support economic growth, particularly in New York City.

Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind are being built off the coast of Long Island. Sunrise Wind, located about 30 miles east of Montauk, is expected to supply electricity to around 600,000 homes.

Empire Wind, located roughly 14 miles southeast of Long Island, is expected to power more than 500,000 homes and would be the first offshore wind project to send power directly into New York City.

According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the two projects together would generate more than 1,700 megawatts of electricity, meeting about 10 per cent of the power needs of New York City and Long Island.

State energy officials have said pausing the projects could affect grid reliability, energy costs, and progress towards clean energy targets.

Before construction began, both projects went through more than a decade of reviews by federal, state, and local authorities.

These included environmental impact studies, public consultations, and coordination with several federal agencies, including the Department of Defense.

Regulators had previously concluded that potential risks could be addressed through mitigation measures included in the project approvals.

The lawsuits warn that stopping construction could cause immediate economic damage, affecting thousands of union jobs, billions of dollars in investment, and infrastructure projects across Long Island and New York City.

The state also argues that delays could prolong reliance on older fossil fuel power plants, leading to higher pollution and energy costs for consumers, and could threaten New York’s legally binding clean energy targets, including 70 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 and a zero-emissions power grid by 2040.

Equinor and Ørsted have also filed separate lawsuits against the Interior Department over the suspension of their offshore wind projects. Equinor has said in court filings that the Empire Wind project could be terminated if construction does not restart by January 16 and has asked a federal judge in Washington to issue a preliminary injunction. A hearing on that request is due to take place next week.

Ørsted has also challenged federal action affecting Sunrise Wind and its Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island. In September, the company secured a court order blocking a separate stop-work directive on Revolution Wind.

Reference: NY State Attorney General

Source: Maritime Shipping News