A sudden federal halt on offshore wind projects has four Northeast governors warning it could backfire on jobs, power reliability, and national security.
Governors Kathy Hochul of New York, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Ned Lamont of Connecticut, and Dan McKee of Rhode Island sent a joint letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Dec. 24 demanding the immediate lifting of stop work orders on five offshore wind projects now under construction.
The governors say the Biden administration’s move rests on vague national security claims that contradict years of federal review, including assessments by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Projects approved, then abruptly frozen
The stop work orders hit projects that already cleared extensive federal approvals, the governors wrote. Those reviews included national security sign-off by the Defense Department.
Yet states say no agency warned them of any newly discovered risks before construction stopped. The letter argues that blindsided states now face economic harm and power shortfalls after relying on these projects to meet rising energy demand.
The governors call the new rationale a “pretextual excuse” aligned with President Trump’s long-stated opposition to offshore wind, rather than a legitimate security finding.
“True national security is energy security”
At the core of the dispute sits a broader argument: energy capacity equals national strength.
The governors warn that blocking gigawatts of domestic clean power threatens grid stability and weakens U.S. competitiveness. They point to a 2025 U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission report showing China added new power capacity in 2024 equal to one-third of the entire U.S. grid.
Stopping U.S. projects while rivals accelerate, they argue, hands a strategic advantage overseas.
The letter also says the federal action clashes with stated goals of energy independence. Blocking domestic generation forces greater reliance on foreign energy and fragile supply chains, the governors wrote.
Radar claims draw sharp skepticism
Federal officials cited concerns that offshore wind turbines could interfere with radar systems. The governors reject that explanation.
They note that a Department of Energy report on radar interference found mitigation tools like replacement and infill radar can improve performance. The same federal strategy explicitly aims to remove radar interference as a barrier to wind development while protecting national security.
The governors also point out that the military reviewed these exact projects years ago and found no threat.
“To claim a threat exists now,” the letter says, after billions have already been invested, “is the height of irrationality.”
Jobs and power at stake in New York
In New York alone, the paused Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind projects put more than 2,600 union jobs at risk.
Together, the projects would generate more than 1,700 megawatts of electricity, about 10 percent of New York City’s power needs, according to the governor’s office.
Hochul previously pushed the administration to lift an earlier stop work order on Empire Wind. The governors now say the latest suspension could trigger blackouts and higher costs if the grid loses planned capacity.
Demanding answers — and action
The governors demand a classified briefing to review the alleged new security threats. They also accuse the Interior Department of disguising an indefinite delay as a security review, despite a recent federal court ruling barring agencies from freezing projects while conducting broad assessments.
“This is a moment for leadership, not obstruction,” the letter concludes, urging Burgum to rescind the suspensions immediately.
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