Overview

• The Trump administration issued a stop-work order on the Empire Wind I project, citing the need for further environmental review despite prior federal approval under the Biden administration.
• Equinor, the Norwegian developer of Empire Wind, has paused offshore construction and is exploring legal actions to challenge the halt.
• German energy giant RWE has ceased all U.S. offshore wind activities, citing regulatory uncertainty and shifting investment priorities under the Trump administration.
• New York leaders, including Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul, are appealing for the project's revival, emphasizing its potential to power 500,000 homes and create over 1,000 jobs.
• The suspension threatens New York's green energy targets, including 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, while raising broader concerns about the stability of U.S. renewable energy investments.