New York Offshore Wind Project Wins Court Battle to Continue

More than 1,000 workers just got their jobs back after a federal judge ruled that a major offshore wind project can resume construction off the coast of New York.

Empire Wind, a $4 billion project already 60 percent complete, was suspended days before Christmas due to cited national security concerns. But a judge found that stopping the work would cause "irreparable harm," allowing construction to continue while the case moves through courts.

The Norwegian developer Equinor had warned that missing a Friday deadline would kill the entire project. The suspension disrupted carefully planned construction schedules and threatened financing for the 54 turbines that will eventually power 500,000 homes.

"People are rightfully upset," said Esther Rosario of Climate Jobs New York, a coalition of unions. "Playing politics with people's lives doesn't really bode well for most folks."

The project matters especially because it sits close to where energy demand runs highest. Most of New York's renewable projects are built upstate where there's more space, but downstate areas like New York City and Long Island need that power the most.

Empire Wind has already created jobs and sparked investment in local infrastructure. The project is helping revitalize the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park, which will house the long-term operations base.

The Ripple Effect

Another suspended project called Revolution Wind also won court approval to restart on the same day. These wins show how courts are protecting clean energy investments that employ thousands and help states meet climate goals.

New York received its lease for Empire Wind back in 2017 and has been working toward the state's Climate Act requirements ever since. The project represents years of planning, billions in investment, and partnerships between Norwegian developers, New York City's Economic Development Corporation, and local unions.

Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the decision, expressing frustration with repeated legal battles to protect state energy projects and workers.

Construction crews are now focusing on safely restarting activities that were halted, getting back to the work of building New York's clean energy future one turbine at a time.