Last week, Secretary of the Interior Doug burgum ordered construction halted on Empire Wind, the planned array of roughly 150 wind turbines off the coast of long Island. In doing so, he may have sunk the centerpiece of New York State’s energy policy—thank goodness.
The agency that, among other things, oversees the National Park Service shouldn’t have been the frist line of defence for electricity customers. But Burgum said his team spotted “serious deficiencies” in federal approvals granted to the offshore windfarm—necessary because the feds have jurisdiction over the nation’s continental shelf. The Biden management had signed off on myriad permits and consultations with other federal agencies, deeming the years-long process (which began in President Trump’s first term) “complete” in March 2024. Objections lingered though: they ran the gamut from concerns about marine life and viewsheds to local fishermen facing significant economic harm.
Empire Wind Project Halted: A Turning Point for New York’s Energy Policy?
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Is New York’s ambitious offshore wind plan about to be blown away? The recent halt of the Empire Wind project by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has sent shockwaves through the state’s energy sector, raising serious questions about the future of renewable energy initiatives and the costs borne by everyday New Yorkers.
The Federal Intervention: A Necessary Course Correction?
Burgum’s decision to halt construction, citing “serious deficiencies” in the federal approvals, throws a wrench into New York’s centerpiece energy policy. While Governor Hochul decries “federal overreach,” many are quietly relieved. Was this intervention a necessary check on Albany’s ambitious, but possibly flawed, green energy agenda?
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a formal director’s order on April 16, 2025, instructing Empire Offshore Wind LLC to cease all construction activities related to the Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project [[2]]. This followed concerns raised by the national oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) [[2]].
Concerns Beyond Bureaucracy: Marine Life and Economic Impact
The objections to Empire Wind extend beyond bureaucratic red tape. Concerns about the impact on marine life, the visual blight of turbines on the horizon, and the potential economic devastation for
The major beneficiaries of Empire Wind’s potential cancellation aren’t whales and fish—they’re New York electricity customers, who would have paid billions in subsidies for a less reliable grid.
Consider the poor governmental choices that brought us here. Over the past decade, Albany’s energy policy has been a tangle of unreachable goals, double standards, and labor-union giveaways—all hidden behind rules that prevent utilities from itemizing costs on customer bills.
New York environmentalists have long harbored a fixation on offshore wind, often pointing enviously to its deployment in northern Europe (where turbines are built in shallower waters, benefit from more favorable wind patterns, and compete against much higher energy prices). In 2010, officials in Governor David Paterson’s administration briefly mollified activists with a study showing the “feasibility” of installing turbines on Lake Ontario—at staggering cost.Soon afterward, though, the activists were pressuring Paterson’s successor, Andrew Cuomo, to adopt impractical renewable-energy targets centered on offshore wind. That yielded a 2018 plan to subsidize the construction of the offshore turbines (only later explicitly sanctioned by the state legislature).
This went entirely against the state’s usual competitive approach to power generation. New York reduced its electricity costs beginning in the late 1990s by getting monopoly electric-transmission utilities out of the generation business and instead encouraging power plants to compete. The New York self-reliant System Operator, the nonprofit created to oversee the wholesale market, holds auctions for electricity every five minutes. The process rewards the most efficient plants, encourages the construction of even better ones, and keeps older units on the sidelines unless they’re needed.
New York’s offshore wind scheme, however, went the other way. under it, the state planned to force utilities, and large electricity customers like hospitals and factories, essentially to pay the difference between the inflated rates promised to wind developers and the actual price of electricity on the competitive market. Most of this premium would have been paid by customers north of New York City, who would have used essentially none of the electricity. worse,Albany here singled out one politically fashionable technology and slammed the door on proven ways of reducing emissions.
The favoritism didn’t stop there. To qualify for subsidies,the developer picked by state officials had to hold a lease,and by 2018,only one company had such a lease in New York waters: Empire Wind.
Companies had been asking the feds to open up more leases for competition, but New York rushed ahead to award its first round of subsidies before more bidders could qualify. (Albany explicitly asked the feds to block new leases from being created off the Hamptons.) just four bidders made proposals, and all were positioned to demand a king’s ransom.
By then, Governor Cuomo was eagerly positioning himself as a national leader on climate policy—first pledging to have half of New York’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2030, then raising the target to 70 percent. He ultimately signed contracts with Empire Wind and a second firm, Sunrise Wind, under a plan that had the state paying both companies roughly twice the market rate for electricity.
When project costs ballooned amid Covid-related supply-chain disruptions, Governor Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s successor, allowed Empire and Sunset to renegotiate their contracts, saddling ratepayers with billions of dollars in additional costs.The exact bill for these subsidies remains to be determined, but the premium associated with Albany’s guarantees to Empire Wind is likely to run well into the billions.
Empire Wind would have been the first of many zaps for New York ratepayers. The state wants 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind within a decade, more than ten times what Empire Wind was set to produce. New york is unlikely to hit that target, but the closer it gets, the more it will confront another cost. Lulls in North Atlantic winds would leave turbines virtually idle for days at a time. Absent other sources to pick up the slack,the state would then need a massive number of batteries to keep the lights on. The cost of these would far exceed the tens of billions of dollars Albany planned to spend on wind turbines. To date, state officials still haven’t estimated what this carbon-free electric grid would cost, or the monthly rates customers big or small would face.
The price of New York’s idealism would run across state lines, too.The Empire State would become more reliant on adjoining grids, notably those of connecticut and New Jersey. That would mean higher electricity costs for their residents.
Governor hochul condemned Burgum’s “federal overreach,” and she’s right that Washington should generally have little say in how states regulate their utilities. In this case, though, New Yorkers and their neighbors should be grateful that the feds are pouring some cold seawater on Albany’s worst ideas—before ratepayers get soaked.
Photo by Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images
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Empire Wind Project Halted: Expert Analysis and the future of New York’s Energy Policy
The recent halt of the Empire Wind offshore wind project by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has sent ripples through New York’s energy sector. To understand the implications, we spoke with Dr. Anya Sharma, a leading energy economist, about the potential impacts and what this means for the future of renewable energy in the state.
A Q&A with Dr. Anya sharma on the Empire Wind Project Halt
Time.news Editor: Dr. sharma, thanks for joining us. The Empire Wind project was a cornerstone of New York’s renewable energy goals. What’s your reaction to the halt of construction?
Dr.Anya Sharma: It’s undoubtedly a significant setback for new York’s ambitious energy policy. The stated goal was to have 70% of the state’s electricity come from renewable sources. Empire Wind, with its roughly 150 wind turbines, was a major part of that plan. the halt, ordered by Secretary Burgum due to “serious deficiencies” in federal approvals, raises serious questions about the viability of relying so heavily on offshore wind [[2]].
Time.news Editor: The article suggests that these “deficiencies” were overlooked during the permitting process. Is this a common issue with large-scale renewable projects?
Dr. Anya Sharma: It highlights a critical tension.There’s immense pressure to accelerate renewable energy projects, but that can’t come at the expense of thorough due diligence. The federal government, through agencies like the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), has a obligation to ensure these projects are environmentally sound and economically viable. The Save Long Beach Island statement also addresses this issue, highlighting that construction has stopped [[1]].
Time.news Editor: The article also points to concerns about the economic impact on New York electricity customers. Can you elaborate on that?
Dr. Anya Sharma: Absolutely. The Empire Wind project, like many offshore wind initiatives, relied on considerable subsidies. The plan involved forcing utilities and large customers to pay the difference between inflated rates promised to wind developers and the actual market price of electricity. This “premium” could have cost New York consumers billions of dollars for a less reliable grid. It essentially bypasses the competitive energy market that has historically kept costs down.
Time.news Editor: So, it’s not just about environmental concerns, but also about the cost-effectiveness of offshore wind in New York?
Dr. Anya Sharma: Exactly. The article rightly notes that New York already had a competitive approach to power generation, rewarding efficient plants and encouraging innovation. The Empire Wind scheme seemed to go against that model. Moreover, relying heavily on wind power introduces intermittency issues. when the wind doesn’t blow, you need backup systems like batteries, which further increase costs.
Time.news Editor: The article mentions that New York was essentially cornered into working with a single developer for these leases.
Dr. Anya Sharma: That’s a crucial point about the flawed bidding process. By rushing ahead and limiting competition for leases, the state potentially overpaid for the project. This lack of competitive bidding is somthing that has been criticized and the Trump governance issued an order to stop construction on the New York project [[2]].
Time.news Editor: What are the broader implications of the Empire Wind project halt for other states pursuing offshore wind?
Dr. Anya Sharma: It should serve as a cautionary tale. States need to conduct rigorous environmental impact assessments, ensure fair and competitive bidding processes, and transparently communicate the costs and benefits to their residents. It also emphasizes the importance of diversifying energy sources rather than relying too heavily on a single technology.According to Rigzone, Equinor ASA stopped offshore construction for the Empire Wind project offshore Long Island, New York [[3]].
Time.news Editor: What advice would you give to New York policymakers moving forward?
dr. Anya Sharma: They need to re-evaluate their energy strategy. A balanced approach that considers all energy sources, promotes competition, and prioritizes affordability for consumers is essential. they should also engage in open dialog with stakeholders, including local communities and fishermen, to address their concerns. Openness and accountability are paramount.
Time.news Editor: Dr. Sharma, thank you for your insights.
dr. Anya Sharma: My pleasure.
Keywords
Empire Wind, Offshore Wind, New York energy Policy, Renewable Energy, Doug Burgum, Energy Subsidies, Electricity Rates, wind Turbines, Environmental Impact Assessment, bureau of Ocean Energy Management, energy Market, New York, energy Expert
