Overview
- U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols granted a preliminary injunction allowing Equinor’s Empire Wind to restart work while he reviews the government’s pause order.
- Interior halted five East Coast projects on Dec. 22 based on classified Defense Department material about radar risks, but Nichols faulted the government for weak responses to key legal arguments.
- Nichols noted the government’s primary concerns appeared tied to turbine operation rather than ongoing construction, a characterization government lawyers disputed.
- Empire Wind is about 60% complete, aimed to power more than 500,000 homes, and has roughly $4 billion invested, with Equinor warning of termination risk due to limited access to the Sleipnir heavy‑lift vessel before February.
- Monday’s separate ruling let Ørsted’s Revolution Wind resume; Sunrise Wind, Vineyard Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind remain paused as further court hearings proceed.