Trump Admin Orders Halt to Offshore Wind Project Near New York

The interior secretary said he directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to ‘halt all construction activities’ on the wind project ’until further review.’

A file image of a wind turbine near Block Island, R.I., on July 7, 2022. John Moore/Getty Images

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said on April 16 that he had ordered a halt to the construction of a major wind project off the coast of New York “until further review.”

Burgum said on April 16 on social media platform X that he had consulted with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to direct the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to “halt all construction activities” on Equinor’s Empire Wind project. The Biden administration approved the project in 2023, with construction beginning last year.