US Halts Empire Wind 1 Off New York Coast Construction

The Biden administration has halted the construction of the massive Empire Wind 1 project off the coast of New York, which aimed to power 500,000 homes with renewable energy.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that the Trump administration “rushed through” the approval process without sufficient analysis. This decision is a significant setback for the US wind industry, which was a priority for President Biden’s presidency.

In 2017, Equinor acquired the lease to develop the site from the federal government. The project, set to deliver 810 MW of energy, was initially met with resistance from former President Trump, who claimed that wind turbines harm whales without evidence.

Trump had also imposed executive orders limiting federal permits and loans for offshore and onshore wind projects shortly after returning to office. New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the halt as “federal overreach” and vowed to fight it.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy7d8lz7wjo