Trump admin halts controversial Long Island windfarm project in latest blow to NY green energy push

The Trump management has halted construction of a sprawling upwind farm nether building disconnected nan Long Island seashore — claiming its permits were “rushed” done without due research.

“Staff of nan Department of nan Interior has obtained accusation that raises superior issues pinch respect to nan task approvals for nan Empire Wind Project,” Secretary of nan Interior Doug Burgum wrote successful a Wednesday missive to nan Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, obtained by nan Washington Free Beacon.

“Approval for nan task was rushed done by nan anterior management without capable study aliases consultation among nan applicable agencies arsenic relates to nan imaginable effects from nan project,” he added, pointing nan digit astatine erstwhile President Joe Biden. “This halt is to stay successful effect until further reappraisal is completed to reside these superior deficiencies.”

Burgum later confirmed nan move successful a connection connected X.

It’s nan latest improvement successful a play that’s been brewing successful nan waters astir 15 miles disconnected nan southeast seashore of Long Island, wherever nan Norwegian power institution Equinor has surgery crushed connected 54 upwind turbines known arsenic Empire 1.

The task — backed by Mayor Adams and Gov. Hochul — is expected to bring powerfulness to 500,000 homes, and is portion of an eager scheme to make New York State fossil fuel-free by 2050.

But it has drawn criticism from Nassau County officials, who reason marine life and nan section sportfishing manufacture will beryllium harmed, and that nan land will beryllium near strapped pinch powerfulness lines done dense residential areas.

Its early was first formed into mobility erstwhile President Trump returned to agency connected Jan. 20 and promptly signed a sweeping executive bid halting upwind power leasing successful national waterways.

Empire 1 already had its permits successful manus and activity connected nan turbine foundations continued.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has been among nan astir vocal section critics of nan project, and echoed Burgum’s comments during a Wednesday property convention successful Long Beach.

“We’ve had a very lengthy and fruitful and elaborate speech astir nan full projects that are connected nan boards,” Blakeman told reporters. “Those that person been approved, arsenic I person said previously, we don’t judge that nan process, nan approvals process, was done successful a adjacent way.”

“We don’t deliberation it was done successful a correct way,” he added. “We don’t deliberation it was done successful a diligent way. We deliberation location was shortcuts. We deliberation location was mendacious information. And a deficiency of nationalist input.”

Burgum wrote that a national reappraisal into nan project’s permitting would continue.

Gov. Hochul denounced nan move — nan latest rustle to nan state’s greenish power schedule — and vowed to conflict nan Trump administration’s move.

“This afloat federally permitted task has already put shovels successful nan crushed earlier nan President’s executive orders—it’s precisely nan type of bipartisan power solution we should beryllium moving on,” Hochul said Wednesday.

“As Governor, I will not let this national overreach to stand. I will conflict this each measurement of nan measurement to protect national jobs, affordable power and New York’s economical future,” she added.

An Equinor spokesperson confirmed it had received notification from BOEM astir nan project, which nan institution said has been nether building since past year.

“We will prosecute straight pinch BOEM and nan Department of Interior to understand nan questions raised astir nan permits we person received from authorities,” nan spokesperson told The Post. “We will not remark astir nan imaginable consequences until we cognize more.”