Trump Reverses Stop-Work Order on Empire Wind 1

The Trump administration has reversed its stop-work order on the $5 billion Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project off New York's coast, permitting construction to resume after a month-long pause. The project, led by Norway's Equinor, is expected to deliver clean energy to over 500,000 homes and create or preserve about 1,500 union jobs. The halt was originally imposed due to concerns that the Biden administration had rushed project approvals. The reversal followed lobbying from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, labor groups, Norwegian officials, and Secretary Doug Burgum. Equinor had warned of possible project cancellation if the order was not lifted and will now reassess project economics, aiming to resume installation work for a 2027 completion. The decision marks a significant policy shift for the Trump administration and suggests openness to further major energy infrastructure projects in New York.