Edison Chouest Offshore’s new 262’x62’ service operations vessel ECO Liberty is poised to work on Equinor’s $5 billion Empire Wind project off New York – days after a stunning reversal of the Trump administration’s rejection of offshore wind development.
“The American maritime industry must have certainty, predictability, and fairness to invest with confidence in the vessels, technology, and talent needed to support U.S. offshore energy,” said Aaron Smith, president of the Offshore Marine Service Association. “By allowing the Empire Wind project to move forward, the Trump Administration is providing a stable policy environment that encourages bold investment in American energy.”
Even as offshore wind opponents were still hailing the April 16 federal stop-work order that shut down Empire Wind construction – and clamoring for more dramatic action to shut down future projects – federal and New York State officials were negotiating for a restart of Empire Wind, already 30% complete.
Equinor had warned last week that continued opposition from the Trump administration would give it no choice but to demobilize its working fleet. Then in late afternoon May 19 Equinor announced the stop-work order had been lifted.
The resulting compromise traces back to the first Trump administration in 2020, when it feuded with environmental groups and then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over opposition to a planned pipeline to carry natural gas from the Marcellus Shale fields of Pennsylvania to New York and New England states.
Along with reviving the Empire Wind project, state and federal officials said they will also work together on other energy projects.
‘I knew this critical project needed to move forward and have spent weeks pushing the federal government to rescind the stop work order to allow the workers to return and ensure this important source of renewable power could come to fruition,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in announcing the deal.
“After countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials, bringing labor and business to the table to emphasize the importance of this project, I’m pleased that President Trump and Secretary Burgum have agreed to lift the stop work order and allow this project to move forward,” said Hochul. “I also reaffirmed that New York will work with the Administration and private entities on new energy projects that meet the legal requirements under New York law. In order to ensure reliability and affordability for consumers, we will be working in earnest to deliver on these objectives.”
The turnaround surprised wind industry advocates and opponents alike, and was welcomed by offshore service companies.
“We hope to see the restarting of Empire Wind as a transformational step that replicates the success of the ECO Liberty in other areas of the wind industry that are not only economically important but are also vital to our national security,” said Smith of OMSA.
“The same Gulf of America shipyards and suppliers that built the ECO Liberty also build for and supply our national and homeland security apparatus. When these Americans can hone their skills building for the offshore wind industry, our security will reap the dividends.”
The whiplash left wind power opposition groups in shock, after Trump campaigned through 2024 with promises to shut down wind projects and issued an executive order to that effect hours after his inauguration Jan. 20.
Environmental activists too were pondering the new offshore wind and gas pipelines bargain that New York struck.
“Offshore wind is the only new capacity source on track for near-term deployment in our major population centers,” said Allyson Samuell a senior campaign organizer for the Sierra Club in New York.
“New Yorkers shouldn’t be forced to live next to dirty gas plants when a clean energy solution is readily available right off of the coast. Scaling offshore wind could lower the state’s social cost of carbon by up to $1 billion annually by 2040, supporting New York’s broader decarbonization and economic goals.”
