Empire Offshore Wind LLC has taken legal action against the U.S. Department of the Interior, challenging an order that has halted construction on the 810MW Empire Wind project. The company, a subsidiary of Norwegian energy giant Equinor, filed a civil suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and plans to seek a preliminary injunction to allow work to resume while litigation proceeds.
Equinor views the Interior Department’s order as unlawful, threatening the project’s progress and potentially derailing significant investments and job creation. “The order threatens the progress of ongoing work with significant implications for the project,” Equinor stated. The company is working closely with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and other authorities to resolve the matter swiftly, describing the current period as critical for execution.
The preliminary injunction is seen as necessary to mitigate commercial and financing impacts that could arise if the suspension remains in effect. Empire Wind has been coordinating with federal officials on national security reviews since securing its lease in 2017, including with the Department of War. The developer asserts it has complied with all national security-related requirements identified during the regulatory process and meets regularly with officials overseeing security issues, including weekly meetings with the U.S. Coast Guard and other marine first responders.
Empire Wind is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to provide a new, near-term source of electricity for New York. The project is over 60 percent complete and represents a substantial investment in U.S. energy infrastructure, jobs, and supply chains. Equinor has invested over USD 4 billion in the project, with USD 2.7 billion drawn under project financing. The construction phase has employed nearly 4,000 people within the lease area and through the revitalization of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal.
Despite the suspension, Empire’s contractors are complying with the order while continuing activities essential to maintaining health, safety, and environmental standards. The outcome of this legal challenge could set a precedent for future offshore wind projects, influencing how regulatory hurdles are navigated and potentially shaping the pace of the U.S. transition to renewable energy. The case also highlights the complexities of balancing national security concerns with the urgent need for clean energy development. As the sector watches closely, the resolution of this dispute may either accelerate or impede the progress of offshore wind projects nationwide.