New York Governor Kathy Hochul has pledged to oppose a federal order halting construction on Equinor’s 810-megawatt Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project, which is located off the coast of Long Island.
The federal directive, issued by the Trump administration, paused activity on the project pending further review. In response, Hochul criticized the move as overreach and vowed to challenge it.
“As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand,” Hochul said in a statement. “I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.”
The governor emphasized the economic impact of the project, noting it had already generated hundreds of jobs. “Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond,” she said.
Hochul added that the project had received all necessary federal approvals and had begun physical construction before the order was issued. “This is a fully federally permitted project that has already put shovels in the ground,” she said.
The Empire Wind 1 project, led by Norwegian energy firm Equinor, remains in compliance with the federal order while the company evaluates potential legal avenues.
