Wednesday, February 4, 2026-A U.S. federal judge has cleared the final major offshore wind project suspended by the Trump administration to resume construction, marking a significant legal setback for the president’s effort to halt wind energy development. The ruling allows the Sunrise Wind project off the coast of Long Island, New York — the fifth and last wind farm affected by a December stop‑work order — to continue building turbines and infrastructure that had been paused over alleged national security concerns.
The project, developed by Danish energy company Ørsted and about 45 % complete, had been losing money daily while idle, and the judge agreed that delays could cause “irreparable harm” without immediate relief. With this decision, all five offshore wind installations that were halted — including Empire Wind, Vineyard Wind, Revolution Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind — now have court backing to proceed, even as legal challenges against the federal halt continue.
Clean energy advocates are hailing the ruling as a major victory for renewable power in the U.S., since these projects are expected to generate gigawatts of electricity and support hundreds of thousands of homes along the East Coast. But the outcome also highlights ongoing political and regulatory tension around renewable energy policy, with analysts warning that uncertainty remains as the industry navigates federal opposition and legal battles.
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