By Stephen Appezzato
NEW JERSEY – Work on the Empire Wind 1 offshore wind farm project has officially resumed following the lifting of a stop-work order issued in April, federal and company officials confirmed this week. Once completed, the 80,000-acre wind farm will be located about 19 miles east of Long Branch and 15 miles south of Long Island.
The U.S. Department of the Interior lifted the order May 19, ending a month-long suspension that had placed the future of the multi-billion-dollar renewable energy project in doubt. Now, Equinor Renewables America and BP, the joint partners behind Empire Wind, will resume construction.
The pause had been imposed April 16 under the direction of newly appointed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The order came amid a broader freeze on offshore wind approvals initiated in January by President Donald Trump, intended to allow time for further project reviews. At the time, Burgum said “approval for the project was rushed through by the prior Administration without sufficient analysis or consultation among the relevant agencies as relates to the potential effects from the Project.”
Those skeptical of offshore wind projects, including U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-04), applauded the stop-work order. In an April 16 release, Smith thanked the Trump administration for its “analysis and confirmation of the serious issues we have raised throughout the offshore wind approval process.”
The April stop-work order drew swift criticism from New York officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, who argued that Empire Wind had already secured the necessary federal permits before Trump took office.
Construction will now continue on Empire Wind 1. While it will be built in waters off the Jersey Shore, all electricity generated will serve New York, powering up to 500,000 homes via transmission lines running to the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park.
In a statement, Anders Opedal, president and CEO of Equinor ASA, expressed gratitude following the lifting of the order.
“We appreciate the fact that construction can now resume on Empire Wind, a project which underscores our commitment to deliver energy while supporting local economies and creating jobs… I would like to thank President Trump for finding a solution that saves thousands of American jobs and provides for continued investments in energy infrastructure in the U.S.,” he said.
Local Reaction
Local opposition to wind farms off the Jersey Shore remains, with some environmental groups and elected officials expressing disappointment with the resumption of construction on Empire Wind 1.
“The Trump Administration capitulated to NY Governor Hochul’s demands to reinstate the paused project without any new protections or improvements for the ocean, including for marine mammals,” said Clean Ocean Action executive director Cindy Zipf.
“The recent whiplash decision to allow Empire Wind to move forward is devastating news for the ocean, since just weeks before a more responsible and reasonable approach seemed to finally have taken hold,” she said.
Zipf said an April release of a two-year study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) under the Biden administration and released by the Trump administration on offshore wind, “confirmed what Clean Ocean Action has asserted: there is a gross lack of science, due process and due diligence in evaluating and granting offshore wind development.”
According to the GAO report, offshore wind development has various potential positive and negative impacts in several areas. “(D)evelopment and operation of offshore wind energy facilities could affect marine life and ecosystems, including through acoustic disturbance and changes to marine habitats. Wind development could bring jobs and investment to communities. At the same time, it could disrupt commercial fishing to varying degrees. Turbines could also affect radar system performance, alter search and rescue methods, and alter historic and cultural landscapes,” the report reads.
However, because offshore turbines are relatively new to the United States, the extent of some impacts is unknown.
Zipf also raised concerns around the location of Empire Wind 1 and the timing of the work.
“It is the time (of) year when the marine ecosystem is most vulnerable. The location of the project is near the entrance of the NY/NJ Estuary – a vast and vital ecosystem for many species. The region is also a critical migratory pathway for 33 species of migrating whales and dolphins with young calves, endangered sea turtles, fish returning to the region to spawn – the list is endless,” she said.
“The shocking impacts and noise from exceedingly powerful concussions and noise from pile driving the monopoles are most harmful to marine life. They can cause fish kills and harm mammals. This is the worst time, especially since there are few, if any, real protections and guardrails for marine life,” she added.
Despite setbacks, including the 2024 cancellation of Empire Wind 2, a sister project to Empire Wind 1, due to economic pressures, Equinor is proceeding with Empire Wind 1, which is more than 30% complete. The company said the project is on track to begin commercial operations by 2027.
The project, part of the federal government’s broader push toward clean energy, was first approved in early 2024 following a lengthy environmental review.
Equinor has invested approximately $60 billion in U.S. energy projects over the past two decades, mainly oil and gas, and sees the United States as a key market for its expanding renewables portfolio.
The article originally appeared in the May 29 – June 4, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
