The state of New York has become the third state to launch a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s blanket shutdown of offshore wind projects under construction.
On Friday New York Attorney General Letitia James (pictured) filed a pair of lawsuits challenging the administration’s move to halt Equinor’s 810MW Empire Wind 1 and Orsted’s 924MW Sunrise Wind, both set to deliver power to the state.
James argued in the filings that that the orders “are arbitrary and unwarranted, as both projects underwent years of extensive national security and safety reviews, and pausing these projects could threaten New York’s economy and energy grid”.
James said: “These projects were carefully reviewed and already under construction when the federal government pulled the plug without explanation.
“This reckless decision puts workers, families, and our climate goals at risk, and my office is taking action to stop it.”
The lawsuit joins a similar litigation from the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said: The Trump administration’s incomprehensible obsession with shutting down these fully permitted projects lacks legal justification, hurts his stated goal of U.S. energy independence, and will cost New York thousands of jobs and needed power to keep the lights on and attract economic development opportunities.
“These unlawful actions cannot stand.”
The state of New York is asking the court to declare the stop-work orders unlawful and block the shutdown orders.