The US Interior Department has ordered a suspension of construction on Equinor’s Empire Wind project off the New York coast. The directive, initiated by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, cites concerns over insufficient environmental analysis during the approval process by the previous Biden administration.
In a post on social media platform X (previously Twitter), Burgum announced that the department has directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the agency responsible for overseeing offshore energy projects, to halt all construction activity at Empire Wind until a further review is complete. However, he did not specify the particular issues identified.
Norwegian energy company Equinor confirmed receiving the stop-work order from the BOEM.
An Equinor spokesperson told Reuters: “We will engage directly with BOEM and the Department of Interior to understand the questions raised about the permits we have received from authorities.” The company withheld further comments pending additional information.
Burgum’s decision follows consultations with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose department includes the National Marine Fisheries Service, a key player in offshore wind permitting. This action is part of a broader review of offshore wind permitting and leasing initiated by President Donald Trump upon his return to office in January.
Empire Wind, approved in November 2023 and under construction since last year, is located 12 nautical miles south of Long Island, New York. The 2.1GW project is anticipated to generate enough electricity to power 700,000 homes annually.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted the project had already created hundreds of jobs supporting the state’s economy.
The project was expected to begin electricity production by 2027.
