Native officers, together with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Council Member Alexa Avilés, have expressed concern over the Trump administration’s choice to cease the Empire Wind 1 mission.
REUTERS/Andreas Mortensen
The Trump administration on Wednesday pulled the plug on Empire Wind 1, the biggest offshore wind mission in New York, citing considerations over its approval course of.
In an announcement on X, U.S. Secretary of the Inside Doug Burgum mentioned he directed the Bureau of Ocean Power Administration to “immediately halt all construction activities” on the mission, claiming the Biden administration rushed its approval with out ample evaluation.
Empire Wind 1, operated by Norwegian power firm Equinor, broke floor in Could 2024 on its operations and upkeep hub on the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sundown Park. The event has up to now employed 1,741 staff, together with greater than 1,000 union building jobs and apprenticeships. The mission was anticipated to be accomplished by the tip of 2026.
A rendering of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Building — now halted — was anticipated to be accomplished by the tip of 2026. Rendering courtesy of Empire Wind
Along with powering an estimated 500,000 New York Metropolis properties, the wind farm — which was to be positioned about 15 miles off the coast of Lengthy Island — was projected to generate financial alternatives for native companies and assist the state’s clear power targets.
Equinor finalized the federal lease in March 2017, in the beginning of President Donald Trump’s first time period, and the mission was authorised in 2023. On his first day again in workplace, nonetheless, Trump — who has beforehand claimed that wind generators trigger most cancers — issued an govt order barring the federal authorities from auctioning off rights to construct offshore wind farms.
In a press launch, Equinor mentioned the Bureau of Ocean Power Administration ordered it to halt building on the offshore wind farm on April 16 till the bureau can full its personal evaluate of the mission. The corporate mentioned it had “validly secured all necessary federal and state permits” for the wind farm.
Native lawmakers blasted the transfer.
Gov. Kathy Hochul referred to as the choice federal overreach and pledged to combat for union jobs, inexpensive power and New York’s financial future.
“Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable, and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them,” she mentioned.
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, whose district consists of Sundown Park, referred to as the Trump administration’s choice to revoke approval for Empire Wind 1 “a slap in the face of New Yorkers” and “an attack on New York’s energy sovereignty.”
“Empire Wind 1 isn’t just about power generation — it’s about powering our economy with thousands of good-paying union jobs, apprenticeships for our young workers, and billions in economic investment in neighborhoods like Sunset Park and Red Hook,” he mentioned.
Equinor mentioned it was consulting with “relevant authorities” concerning the order, and was contemplating authorized motion — together with interesting the order – to get building began once more.
Mayor Eric Adams speaks on the 2022 announcement of the Empire Wind 1 mission, which was set to deliver clear power and jobs to New York Metropolis.Ed Reed/Mayoral Pictures Workplace
Mayor Eric Adams mentioned his workplace would proceed working with its companions to make sure tasks like Empire Wind 1 and the roles they create are protected.
“The redevelopment of the long-underutilized South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is creating more than 1,000 good-paying union jobs in New York to support the Empire Wind 1 project, which will provide enough energy to power 500,000 New York City homes, generate new opportunities for local businesses, and bring significant investments to our communities,” Adams mentioned.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso mentioned that for a president who claimed to assist blue-collar jobs, Trump was “hell-bent” on placing Individuals out of labor and holding the air polluted.
“The reality is Empire Wind is a boon for Brooklyn’s economy and will make our energy system more affordable and reliable,” Reynoso mentioned. “I look forward to supporting Governor Hochul in the fight against this reckless decision.”
Council Member Alexa Avilés, who represents Sundown Park, mentioned she was “profoundly concerned” about halting a mission that addresses power wants whereas acknowledging the local weather disaster.
“Our community has fought for years to ensure that Sunset Park would be part of solutions to reduce carbon emissions, build healthier and green energy, and provide new local union jobs,” Avilés mentioned.
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, a Brooklyn native, referred to as the transfer “an attack” by the Trump administration.
“This is an attack by the Trump administration on American energy independence, good-paying union jobs, and lower electricity bills,” he mentioned. “Trump’s energy policy is to only support companies that generate dirty fossil fuels produced by his top campaign contributors.”
Replace (Friday, April 18 at 10:30 a.m.): This story has been up to date to incorporate further remark from Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer.
