Written By: Sydney Saunders
Equinor’s Empire Wind project, an offshore development intended to supply more than 500,000 homes in New York City with electricity through the use of wind turbines, was halted in December by the Trump administration. The Trump administration issued a federal stop-work order citing national security concerns. On January 15th, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction allowing Equinor to continue construction while the judge considers the merits of the government’s order. If the judge ultimately rules in favor of the government’s, thousands of workers could be laid off, and the billions of dollars invested may be wasted.
What is the Empire Wind Project?
Equinor is a major Norwegian energy company that has become a leader in the transition to meet the challenges of climate change. The company’s goal is to become a net zero energy company by 2050. To accomplish this, the company constructs and utilizes renewables, such as offshore wind and solar and low carbon solutions such as CCS and hydrogen.
Equinor is the developer of the project, Empire Wind. Empire Wind is being developed in two phases. The first phase, which received approval in February 2024, is being constructed fifteen to thirty miles southeast of Long Island. This site will consist of fifty-four wind turbines. The offshore wind will cause rotation of the wind turbines generating power that will be supplied to New York City through two submarine export cables. Upon completion, the project’s goal is to generate and supply more than 500,000 homes in Brooklyn and Gowanus with electricity. The second phase of the Empire Wind project is still under consideration, however, if approved, it would be located directly behind the first phase and add an additional eighty-four wind turbines.
Equinor has invested $4 billion on the first phase of the project. The project alone has employed thousands of workers. Empire Wind project executed a lease for the project in 2017, and since has worked alongside federal officials, including the Department of War, in order to move forward on the project.
U.S. District Court Involvement
On December 22, 2025, the Trump administration issued a stop-work order for Empire Wind on five of the offshore wind farms for at least ninety days. At this point, Empire Wind was 60% complete with trenching, cable-laying, and cable pulling. The Trump administration issued the order due to national security reasons.
Although Trump did not cite specific reasons for national security, the Interior Department Spokesperson, Matt Middleton, stated that the pause on the construction of Empire Wind is a “decisive step to protect America’s security, prevent conflicts with military readiness and maritime operations and ensure responsible stewardship of our oceans.” Middleton further expressed that the administration will not sacrifice national security or economic stability for the development of Empire Wind.
In response on January 6th, Equinor requested expedited consideration of intervention on emergency basis by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The company stated that the project would face “likely termination” if the project did not resume by January 16, 2026.
On January 15, Judge Carl J. Nichols of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction barring the Trump administration efforts to halt the offshore wind project. A preliminary injunction is an order issued before a final decision is rendered on the merits to preserve the status quo of both parties pending litigation. Judge Nichols granted the preliminary injunction allowing the Empire Wind Project to continue construction while the court further considers the merits of the government’s order to suspend the project.
Going Forward
On January 15, 2026, Equinor announced that the Empire Wind project would resume construction immediately. However, because a preliminary injunction is not a final decision, Judge Carl J. Nichols must still determine whether the Trump administration’s stop work order is backed by legitimate national security interests that justify the cessation of a project that has had approval for the last several years.
If the court ultimately rules in favor of the government, the preliminary injunction will be lifted, and the stop work order will suspend the Empire Wind’s construction again. Workers will be laid off, and Equinor may be forced to walk away from the project all together, losing several billion dollars. However, if the court rules in favor of Equinor, the stop work order put in place by the government will be lifted and construction can move forward as planned.
Beyond the immediate dispute, the outcome of the case has a larger effect on all companies with the goal of developing renewable energy such as offshore wind. Developers and investors may now be hesitant to start such projects for fear that the government can halt their projects at any given moment, despite having prior approval.
Sources
Agence France-Presse, DC Circuit Clears Norway’s Equinor to Resume Wind Project Haltered By Trump, Courthouse News Service (Jan. 15, 2026) https://www.courthousenews.com/dc-circuit-clears-norways-equinor-to-resume-wind-project-halted-by-trump/.
Blake Brittan & Nichola Groom, US Judge Allows Equinor to Restart New York Offshore Wind Project, Reuters (Jan. 15, 2026, 2:20 PM) https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-judge-grants-equinor-bid-restart-new-york-offshore-wind-project-2026-01-15/.
Empire Wind, https://www.empirewind.com/project/ (last visited Jan. 21, 2026).
Empire Wind Granted Preliminary Injunction Allowing Construction to Resume, equinor (Jan. 15, 2026, 11:48 PM), https://www.equinor.com/news/20260115-empire-wind-granted-preliminary-injunction.
Rachel Frazin, Courts Allow Another Wind Farm to Resume Construction After Trump Pause, The Hill (Jan. 15, 2026, 12:30 PM), https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5691088-wind-farm-trump-new-york/.
Spencer Kimball, New York Offshore Wind Project to Resume Construction After Judge Lifts Trump Suspension, CNBC (Jan. 15, 2026, 12:50 PM), https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/15/judge-allows-equinor-empire-wind-construction-trump.html.