The Trump administration has filed a motion in U.S. federal court defending Equinor’s 810-megawatt Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project, arguing against a request by a local opposition group to halt development.
In a court filing dated September 5, the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the court to deny the request for an injunction brought by the Save Long Beach Island group, which is seeking to block the Norwegian energy company’s planned wind farm off the coast of New York.
The DOJ stated that the group’s request was undermined by the timing of its legal action. “Their significant delay in making the request disproves any allegation of an ‘emergency’ and is fatal to any claim of irreparable harm,” the filing read.
The administration previously issued a stop-work order on the project but later reversed that decision, allowing development to proceed following negotiations with New York State officials.
The government also noted that Save Long Beach Island had made similar legal arguments in other offshore wind-related lawsuits in New Jersey. However, in the case of Empire Wind 1, the group is seeking injunctive relief, which would immediately halt the project.
The Empire Wind 1 project is part of a broader effort to expand renewable energy capacity along the U.S. East Coast. Equinor, the developer, has continued to face legal and regulatory scrutiny as offshore wind development accelerates in the region.
