The Trump administration has stopped the construction of an extensive wind farm in construction off the Long Island coast, claiming that its permits were “hurried” without adequate investigation.
“The interior department staff has bothered the information posed by serious problems regarding the approvals of the project for the Empire Wind project,” wrote Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a Wedesday letter to the Ociacon office, observed by Washington Free.
“The approval for the project was carried out by the previous administration without a sufficient analysis or consultation between the relevant agencies in relation to the possible effects of the project,” he added, pointing to former President Joe Biden. “This high will remain in force until an additional review is completed to address these serious deficiencies.”
Burgum then confirmed the movement in a statement in x.
It is the last development in a drama that is made in the waters about 15 miles from the southeast coast of Long Island, where the Norwegian energy company Equinor has ground in 54 wind turbines known as Empire 1.
The project, backed by Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul-is supposed to bring energy to 500,000 homes, and is part of an ambitious plan to be free of fossil fuels from the state of New York by 2050.
But it has caused criticism of Nassau County officials, who argue that marine life and local fishing industry will be harmed, and that the island will be tied with electric lines through residential areas.
His future was first considered when President Trump returned to the position on January 20 and quickly signed an executive order for the lease of wind energy in federal river roads.
Empire 1 already had their permits in hand and continued the work in the bases of the turbine.
The Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, has been among the most vocal local critics of the project, and echoed the Burgum Comments of a Press Conference on Wednesday in Long Beach.
“We have had a very long, fruitful and detailed conversation about all the projects that are on the boards,” Blakeman told journalists. “Those who have approved the leg, as I said previously, do not believe that the process, the focus process has been carried out fairly.”
“We do not believe that it has been done in a correct way,” he added. “We do not believe that it has been done diligently. We believe there were shortcuts. We believe there was false information. And a lack of public contributions.”
Burgum wrote that a federal review in the projects that allowed to continue.
Governor Hochul denounced the movement, the last blow for the state’s green energy agenda, and promised to fight the Trump administration movement.
“This fully allowed federal project has already put shovels on the field before the president’s executive orders: it is exactly the type of bipartisan energy solution in which we must save,” said Hochul on Wednesday.
“As a governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand up. I will fight in this step of the road to protect the jobs of the union, the affordable energy and the economic future of New York,” he added.
An Equinor spokesman confirmed that he had received a notification from Boem on the project, which the company said it has been under construction since last year.
“We will get directly involved with BOOM and the Department of the Interior to understand the questions posed on the permits we have received from the authorities,” the spokesman told the post. “We will not comment on the possible consequences until we know more.”