Judge allows Empire Wind construction to resume off Long Island

A federal judge ruled that construction on the $5 billion Empire Wind project off Long Island can resume, saying the Interior Department’s order to stop work would likely cause "irreparable harm." The decision was issued by Judge Carl J. Nichols of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Attorneys for Empire Wind told the court the project is about 60 percent complete and would face "existential risk" if further delayed. Equinor, the developer, said it would lose more than $1 billion in contracts and that a specialized ship needed for construction could be reassigned if work did not restart.

The government halted Empire Wind and four other East Coast projects last month, citing unspecified national security concerns; the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said construction must stop for at least 90 days while the administration reviews classified security issues. The ruling was the second this week to allow an East Coast project to continue amid the administration’s halt: earlier, Judge Royce Lamberth had permitted Revolution Wind off Rhode Island and Connecticut to proceed.

Supporters and developers have said the five projects had already completed years of environmental review and secured permits, financing and contracts, and an advocacy group estimated they are collectively worth $25 billion and could power more than 2.5 million buildings.

Key Topics

Politics, Empire Wind, Equinor, Carl J. Nichols, Interior Department, Long Island