The legal fight against offshore wind energy in the United States escalated Tuesday as a coalition of fishing companies and anti-wind organizations filed a federal lawsuit aiming to halt the Empire Wind project off the coast of New York. s4g3s

The $5 offshore billion wind farm, developed by Norwegian energy giant Equinor, had resumed construction in May after the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) lifted a stop-work order originally issued in April. The project is expected to begin offshore installation activities in 2025 and enter commercial operation by 2027, supplying clean power to approximately half a million homes.

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The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, was brought by Protect Our Coast New Jersey, Clean Ocean Action, ACK for Whales, and 12 fishing industry plaintiffs. It seeks to reinstate the work stoppage ordered by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in April, which aligned with President Donald Trump's executive order halting offshore wind activity.

Trump issued the directive on his first day back in office, January 20, as part of a broader strategy to scale back renewable energy development and boost domestic fossil fuel production. During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to "end the offshore wind industry," a promise his istration acted on quickly.

However, in a surprising policy shift, the istration allowed work to resume on Empire Wind on May 19 following a deal with New York Governor Kathy Hochul. The compromise included the possibility of reviving previously blocked natural gas pipeline projects, a move welcomed by pro-fossil fuel advocates.

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The lawsuit claims that BOEM violated the istrative Procedure Act by failing to provide a clear and lawful justification for reversing the stop-work order. Opponents argue the decision was rushed and politically motivated, lacking proper public input and environmental review.

This latest legal challenge marks another blow to the already embattled offshore wind sector in the U.S., which has faced mounting resistance from local communities, fishing interests, and Republican-led states. With Empire Wind’s future now uncertain, the broader clean energy transition could face additional delays at a critical time for climate policy.