According to updates issued by the Empire Wind project, seabed preparation work has already commenced this month ahead of foundation installation. However, according to a ‘tweet’ posted on X on April 16 by US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the DOI has instructed BOEM to immediately halt all construction on the project until a review has been conducted.
This is a move on Mr Burgum's part carried out in response to President Trump's Executive Order of January 20th "Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects", specifically, Section 2, which says:
"Temporary Cessation and Immediate Review of Federal Wind Leasing and Permitting Practices. (a) In light of various alleged legal deficiencies underlying the Federal Government’s leasing and permitting of onshore and offshore wind projects, the consequences of which may lead to grave harm — including negative impacts on navigational safety interests, transportation interests, national security interests, commercial interests, and marine mammals — and in light of potential inadequacies in various environmental reviews required by the National Environmental Policy Act to lease or permit wind projects, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of all other relevant agencies, shall not issue new or renewed approvals, rights of way, permits, leases, or loans for onshore or offshore wind projects pending the completion of a comprehensive assessment and review of Federal wind leasing and permitting practices. The Secretary of the Interior shall lead that assessment and review in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The assessment shall consider the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects upon wildlife, including, but not limited to, birds and marine mammals. The assessment shall also consider the economic costs associated with the intermittent generation of electricity and the effect of subsidies on the viability of the wind industry."
This Executive Order went into effect on 21st January, specifically relating to wind power and preventing the "consideration of any area in the OCS for any new or renewed wind energy leasing for the purposes of generation of electricity or any other such use derived from the use of wind". REM pointed out in our news story on that same day that the EO "does not apply to leasing related to any other purposes such as oil, gas, minerals, and environmental conservation".
The lease for the Empire Wind 1 site was awarded to Equinor in 2017, during President Trump’s first term of office, while the approval of the Construction and Operation Plan (COP) was approved in February 2024, during the Biden Administration. Construction work on the 810 MW Empire Wind 1 commenced soon after this approval was given. Equinor achieved financial close for the project in January.
Sif began production of the first of 54 monopiles for the project in November 2024, at its facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
US industry organisation Oceantic Network has responded to Mr Burgum’s tweet by calling for the DOI to retract the order:
“Stopping work on the fully federally permitted Empire Wind 1 offshore project should send chills across all industries investing in and holding contracts with the United States Government” said Liz Burdock, Oceanic Network president and CEO. “Preventing a permitted and financed energy project from moving forward sends a loud and clear message to all businesses – beyond those in the offshore wind industry – that their investment in the US is not safe. We urge the Department of Interior to lift this order immediately to restore a predictable and equitable environment for the buildout of critical energy resources that help secure our energy future and independence.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced her intention to fight the decision, “Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them.
“Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond. 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.”
The American Clean Power Association (ACP) has also responded to the DOI order.
“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda” said ACP CEO Jason Grumet.
“With skyrocketing energy demand and increasing consumer prices, we need streamlined permitting for all domestic energy resources. Doubling back to reconsider permits after projects are under construction sends a chilling signal to all energy investment.
"These political reversals are bad policy, whether applied to pipelines or wind farms. We encourage the Administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much needed power to the grid. At the end of the day, reliable energy systems depend on reliable political systems.”
Once complete, Empire Wind 1, situated 25-48 kilometres (15-30 miles) southeast of Long Island, would be the first offshore wind farm connected to the New York City power grid. It will utilise 54 Vestas 15 MW wind turbines and is expected to begin producing renewable power in late 2026, with full commissioning following in 2027.
Equinor will locate the project’s operations and maintenance (O&M) facility in Sunset Park, utilising the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT).
For additional information:
US Department of the Interior (DOI)
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
American Clean Power Association (ACP)
