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New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over its decision to suspend construction on two major offshore wind projects that the state says are critical to powering 1 million homes and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The legal action challenges a December 22 order that froze federal offshore wind leases held by Equinor of Norway and Orsted of Denmark, significantly affecting New York’s clean energy transition.
In the lawsuits, James is asking a federal court in Washington, D.C., to block the Interior Department’s halt on the Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind projects, both of which were already approved and under construction. According to the state, the sudden pause threatens thousands of good-paying jobs, undermines climate targets, and creates uncertainty for investors in renewable energy infrastructure.
The Interior Department has defended the offshore wind pause by citing concerns raised by the Pentagon, which claims that wind turbines could interfere with military radar systems and make it harder to detect security threats. However, New York officials argue that these concerns were previously reviewed during the federal approval process and that the administration failed to provide a clear legal justification for stopping the projects mid-construction.
Attorney General James criticized the decision as reckless and unlawful, stating that New Yorkers deserve reliable clean energy and a federal government that follows established rules. She emphasized that the offshore wind developments are essential for meeting New York’s climate commitments and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Equinor and Orsted have also filed their own lawsuits against the Interior Department. Equinor has warned that its Empire Wind project could be terminated if construction does not resume by January 16, and a federal judge is expected to hear its request for a preliminary injunction next week. Orsted is pursuing legal action related to Sunrise Wind and Revolution Wind, the latter of which previously received court protection from a separate stop-work order.
The federal freeze on offshore wind leases also affects other major renewable energy projects, including Vineyard Wind in Massachusetts and Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind facility, raising broader concerns about the future of offshore wind development in the United States.
