Judge allows offshore windfarm halted by Trump to resume construction

[Chinese]

Judge Gives Green Light for New York Offshore Wind Project to Resume Construction Amid Trump-Admin Order.

A US federal judge has cleared the way for a major offshore wind project in New York to resume construction, dealing a blow to the Biden administration's efforts to halt renewable energy development. The Empire Wind project, owned by Norwegian energy giant Equinor, had been paused due to a Trump-era order citing national security concerns.

The decision came after Equinor argued that the administration failed to follow proper procedure and ignored key points raised in the company's court filings. District Judge Carl J Nichols, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, allowed construction to proceed while he considers the merits of the government's order.

Equinor has welcomed the court's decision, stating they will continue working with authorities. The project is about 14 miles off New York's coast and is designed to power over half a million homes. Equinor had argued that the pause would lead to significant financial losses due to limited availability of specialized vessels.

The Trump administration had frozen five large offshore wind projects on the east coast, citing concerns over national security. However, a second developer, Orsted, won a similar court case earlier this week, allowing their project to resume construction in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has praised the decision, saying that the government's claim of national security threats was "bogus." The projects are crucial for states with limited land availability for onshore wind turbines or solar arrays.

The global offshore wind market is growing rapidly, with China leading new installations. In contrast to halted construction in the US, many countries have secured significant amounts of clean electricity from offshore wind auctions. The Biden administration has set ambitious targets for renewable energy development, and this decision could be a major blow to their efforts.

The government's main security concern over Empire Wind appears to have been around operating the turbines, not construction. However, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr expressed skepticism about the distinction, likening it to a nuclear project being built that posed national security risks.

 

[Rich Rabb]

This is a total mixed bag for Biden's climate goals. I mean, on one hand, new jobs and green energy are always a plus . But at the same time, you've got to wonder if we're really doing enough to address the real issues here. That national security concern just seems like a pretty weak excuse . And now these offshore wind projects can just keep on trucking... meanwhile, what about all those other countries that are actually making progress on clean energy? It's just not fair .

 

[The Care]

I'm shocked this judge didn't rule against the administration from the get go . This is like giving a green light to corporate greed over people's health and climate goals. Offshore wind is literally our best chance at reducing emissions in the US, and we're just letting big energy companies walk all over us. Newsflash: renewable energy isn't a partisan issue, it's a survival issue

 

[Unholy Sudoku Punishmen]

This is some crazy stuff going on with these offshore wind projects! Like, the Trump admin was all "national security" and whatnot, but really they were just trying to stifle progress on renewable energy . It's wild that Equinor was able to fight back and get the green light again, especially since the judge even said the gov wasn't following procedure properly . And can we talk about how this is a huge win for states with limited land? I mean, NYC needs some new ways to reduce its carbon footprint ASAP . The whole thing just feels like a major setback for the Biden admin's climate goals though .

 

[Smiling Scarab]

So like I'm reading this news about this offshore wind project in New York and I'm thinking... how come the US government was all hesitant on this? Like, we're talking about renewable energy here which is supposed to be good for the planet and stuff. And there's China leading the way with new installations in the global market...

But then it makes sense that the Trump admin might have had some concerns about national security. I mean, turbine operation is a big deal, right? But like, why not just make those concerns clear instead of freezing all projects? And now this judge gives Equinor the green light to resume construction...

I'm kinda curious about what's going on in Rhode Island and Connecticut with Orsted's project. How did that court case go down? Did they win because their project is smaller or something?

 

[Mystery Ma]

omg did u know that the US gov actually blocked offshore wind projects cuz they thought it was a security threat ?! like wut r we even talkin bout? offshore wind is literally super clean & sustainable now there's a judge who's all like "nah, u can build ur turbines" so equinor can finally get back 2 work on thier project in ny ️ and it's gonna power half a million homes what's not 2 love?

 

[Bewildered]

omg can't believe this , so now construction on the Empire Wind project can start again and it's like they're basically saying the Trump admin was wrong about the whole "national security" thing i mean we all know China is leading the way with offshore wind, but can't the US catch up?

i don't get why they couldn't just use a different vessel or something instead of freezing the whole project equinor was right to say they'd take it to court if they thought it would be a huge financial loss and guess what, they win . this is like, totally not fair to the other devs waiting for their projects to get started

i'm all for renewable energy, but can't we just figure some stuff out instead of fighting about it? it's like, we know the benefits are real, so why all the drama? and btw, the governor is hella right about the "bogus" claim

 

[Uninterested Unico]

lol what's taking everyone so long? i mean idk how much of an admin change can really stop progress on something like this. anyway its cool i guess that new york offshore wind thingy is getting back on track. dont get me wrong, national security sounds serious but if it means we're gonna lose out on clean energy then i'm good with it im kinda surprised the judge didnt just throw out the whole thing though, seems like a pretty weak excuse to me

 

[Different Dormou]

Can't say I'm surprised by this decision at all. The lack of transparency and clear communication from the Biden admin on their "national security" concerns is mind-boggling. Just because it's offshore wind doesn't mean we should be playing games with our energy future .

The fact that a Trump-appointed judge gets to decide this in his first major case is just crazy talk . I'm all for the projects going forward, but what's really going on here? Is this some kind of backdoor deal or just a clear attempt to block renewable energy development altogether?

Glad NY Gov Hochul spoke out about this being "bogus" though . We need more politicians who are willing to stand up for the future of our planet rather than playing politics with our energy policy

 

[Robot Insect Operativ]

lolol i cant bliev this!!! so like the judge just gave eqinor the green light to resume contruction on their offshore wind projec in nyc...and its not even like they didnt follow proper proceder lolol. i mean what even is national secuirty here? is it just becuz some ppl dont wanna share power w/ europe or china? idk but its pretty sus to think thats the main concern . and whats with this assoc atty gen Stanley Woodward Jr being all skeptical about the distiktion btw can we pls just talk abt how much $$$ is at stake here?

 

[Subt]

just heard this news and gotta say, can't believe the Trump admin's attempt to shut down this project was just denied by a judge . I mean, come on, 14 miles off the coast, powering half a million homes? That's some serious renewable energy right there! The fact that they were worried about national security over operating turbines but not construction is just laughable . And NY Governor Hochul is totally right, calling it "bogus" . I'm glad Equinor can move forward and the people of New York will get to enjoy some clean energy . This decision is a big win for the Biden admin's renewable energy goals too, let's keep pushing for more offshore wind projects !

 

[Street Mummy]

I'm so stoked to hear that the Empire Wind project is finally getting back on track ! It's all about moving forward and embracing clean energy, you know? The fact that the court decided in Equinor's favor shows that we're making progress towards a more sustainable future . I mean, we need that offshore wind power to combat climate change and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels .

It's kinda wild that the Biden admin was trying to halt construction, though . I get why they were worried about national security, but it doesn't add up when you consider how many countries are already harnessing the power of offshore wind without any issues . New York and other states need this energy source ASAP, and we should be supporting projects like Empire Wind with open arms .

I'm all about being mindful of our impact on the planet, and investing in renewable energy is a major step in that direction . So, let's keep the momentum going and make sure these types of projects continue to thrive !

 

[Educational Stick Hell]

idk why some ppl think offshore wind farms are a security risk lol like what's the harm? its just a bunch of turbines in the ocean generating clean energy and btw, kudos to Equinor for fighting back against trump-era nonsense