Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration for Illegally Suspending New York’s Offshore Wind Projects

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed two lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to halt construction on a pair of major offshore wind projects that are expected to power more than one million New York homes. Late last month, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) abruptly issued stop-work orders to the New York-based Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind projects, directing them to immediately suspend all construction due to undisclosed “national security” concerns. Attorney General James argues that these orders are arbitrary and unwarranted, as both projects underwent years of extensive national security and safety reviews, and pausing these projects could threaten New York’s economy and energy grid. She is asking the court to intervene to block the administration’s stop-work orders.

“New Yorkers deserve clean, reliable energy, good-paying jobs, and a government that follows the law,” said Attorney General James. “These projects were carefully reviewed and already under construction when the federal government pulled the plug without explanation. This reckless decision puts workers, families, and our climate goals at risk, and my office is taking action to stop it.”

“New York will not back down in our fight for a clean energy future and I commend Attorney General James for taking this action to lift the unlawful stop work orders on New York’s two offshore wind projects under construction,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “The Trump administration's incomprehensible obsession with shutting down these fully permitted projects lacks legal justification, hurts his stated goal of U.S. energy independence, and will cost New York thousands of jobs and needed power to keep the lights on and attract economic development opportunities. These unlawful actions cannot stand.”

“Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind are critical large-scale electricity projects for New York state,” said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris. “Together, they will generate more than 1,700 megawatts of power—enough to meet roughly 10 percent of the electricity needs of New York City and Long Island. Federal actions are once again putting New York’s energy reliability, affordability, and clean energy progress at risk. These projects are essential to support the reliability of our electrical grid, local jobs and economic development, and delivery of affordable, clean power New Yorkers depend on. I commend Attorney General James and Governor Hochul for standing up for New York as we continue to fight for an affordable, abundant, reliable, and clean energy future for our state.”

The Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind projects are offshore wind projects being built off the coast of Long Island. The Sunrise Wind project, located approximately 30 miles east of Montauk, is currently under construction and is expected to power approximately 600,000 New York homes. The Empire Wind project, also currently under construction, is located approximately 14 miles southeast of Long Island and is expected to power more than 500,000 homes. Empire Wind would be the first offshore wind project to deliver power directly to New York City, strengthening the energy grid in one of the most energy-constrained areas of the country. Construction on the projects is ongoing, and both have already made substantial progress. Thousands of workers are currently employed on or have recently been employed on these projects, and billions of dollars have already been invested.

Before construction began, the projects underwent more than a decade of extensive review by federal, state, and local authorities, including environmental impact analysis, public comment periods, and coordination with numerous federal agencies, including the Department of Defense. Federal regulators repeatedly determined that the projects complied with all legal requirements and that any potential impacts, including national security considerations, could be addressed through mitigation measures that were formally incorporated into the projects’ approvals.

On December 22, however, DOI ordered both projects to immediately suspend all construction activity for at least 90 days, citing vague and unexplained “national security” concerns based on classified information. The stop-work orders provided no project-specific findings, offered no explanation for why existing safeguards were insufficient, and left open the possibility of indefinite extensions. The orders came just weeks after Attorney General James secured a federal court ruling invalidating a broader federal freeze on wind energy approvals, raising serious concerns that the administration is attempting to revive an unlawful policy through new means.

Attorney General James argues that the stop-work orders will have immediate and severe consequences, including significant economic harm throughout New York. Together, the projects support thousands of union jobs, billions of dollars in private and public investment, and major infrastructure improvements in communities across Long Island and New York City. Halting construction risks delaying or permanently derailing the projects, jeopardizing contracts, local tax revenue, workforce training programs, and long-term economic development tied to New York’s clean energy transition.

Attorney General James also asserts that the administration’s actions will harm New Yorkers’ health and wallets. Delaying or derailing these clean energy projects would prolong New York City and Long Island’s reliance on the region’s decades-old fossil-fuel plants, which send significant pollution into communities and result in higher energy costs for consumers. The delay would also threaten the state’s ability to meet its legally mandated clean energy targets, including achieving 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and a zero-emissions electric grid by 2040.

In her lawsuits, filed simultaneously today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Attorney General James argues that the stop-work orders fail to explain the federal government’s change in position and to provide a genuine justification for the suspension, making them arbitrary and capricious, in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. She is asking the court to declare the stop-work orders unlawful and block their enforcement.