Mayor Adams Praises Decision to Allow Empire Wind 1 Project to Move Forward

May 19, 2025

Trump Administration Allows Project to Move Forward After Weeks of Advocacy by Mayor Adams 
Mayor Adams Spoke with President Trump About Project in Oval Office, Sent Letters to Trump Cabinet Officials, Conducted Interviews on Importance of Project

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today applauded the decision by the federal government to lift the stop-work order on Empire Wind 1. Following weeks of advocacy by the Adams administration — that included engaging over 60 stakeholders, official letters to Trump administration officials, and Mayor Adams personally sitting down with President Donald Trump in the White House to advocate for this project — the Trump administration agreed to lift the stop work order and allow construction to continue the Empire Wind 1 project, which will be delivered from the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, in which the city will invest more that $160 million in city capital.

“New Yorkers elected me to fight for their values, and every single day, our administration does just that,” said Mayor Adams. “As part of our mission to make New York City the most innovative economic engine on the globe, I met with President Trump and members of his administration earlier this month in the White House to discuss New York City’s top priorities, including critical infrastructure projects. Today, I am proud to see direct results from our meeting, delivering a decision on a key topic we specifically discussed. During our meeting, one of my top priorities was to advocate for construction to resume on the Empire Wind 1 energy project. We also sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of Energy, met regularly with our partners at Equinor Renewables America, spoke about the crucial work of this project in countless interviews, and coordinated with stakeholders for weeks. We did all of this because the Empire Wind 1 energy project brings with it billions of dollars of investment in our economy and creates thousands of good jobs — both in New York City and through a U.S.-based supply chain across 20 states. Once completed, this project will produce enough energy to power more than 500,000 homes in New York City, or roughly 8 percent of New York City’s peak demand. I am thrilled that our hard work is paying off and construction on Empire Wind 1 may resume. I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Doug Burgum for their thorough review, for hearing our requests to resume construction, and for working with the city, state, NYSERDA, and Equinor to get this project back on track. This is a strong sign of what we can accomplish when we work, instead of war, with the federal government to deliver for all Americans.”

Immediately after the stop work order was put in place, the Adams administration began setting up meetings and calls with elected officials on both sides of the aisle, including the entire New York City and Long Island congressional delegation.

In late April, within a week of the stop work order being issued, Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión Jr. held a meeting at City Hall with Executive Vice President for Renewables at Equinor Jens Økland to discuss the project and efforts to resume construction. 

Later, Adams administration officials spoke with offshore wind suppliers that are part of the Empire Wind 1 U.S.-based supply chain across multiple states — including Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas — and delivered a formal request to Secretaries Doug Burgum and Chris Wright requesting that the stop work order be lifted.

Earlier this month, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro engaged with the White House to discuss the project, and Mayor Adams personally sat down with President Trump and members of his administration to discuss New York City priorities, including resuming construction on the Empire Wind 1 project. All throughout, the administration worked in frequent communication with New York Governor Hochul’s office, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and Equinor to coordinate efforts and engage with impacted labor unions, including the Building and Construction Trades Council, and the International Longshoremen’s Association. Altogether, the administration coordinated with more than 60 offshore wind stakeholders in New York City and elsewhere to make as strong a case as possible for this project to continue. 

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