Sunset Park

Will Trump’s order freezing offshore wind disrupt massive Sunset Park project?

The federal government "put a question mark" on it.

January 24, 2025 Mary Frost
Offshore wind turbines stand near Block Island, R.I.
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SUNSET PARK — President Donald Trump’s executive order freezing leases and permits for offshore wind power may throw a wrench into the massive port project underway at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park.

Or it may not. 

“Nobody knows anything for sure,” Robert Freudenberg, vice president of Energy and Environmental Programs with the Regional Plan Association, told the Brooklyn Eagle. “Everybody is still trying to understand what the executive order means.”

Trump’s order, issued Monday, temporarily withdraws from consideration any area on the Offshore Continental Shelf for “any new or renewed wind energy leasing for the purposes of generation of electricity … pending the completion of a comprehensive assessment and review of Federal wind leasing and permitting practices.” The lease freeze does not affect oil or gas exploration.

Components for turbines are shown in this rendering of the future wind-turbine assembly and staging area at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Rendering courtesy of Equinor
Components for turbines are shown in this rendering of the future wind-turbine assembly and staging area at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Rendering courtesy of Equinor

The 73-acre Sunset Park project, which broke ground last June, is slated to be the nation’s largest dedicated offshore wind port, bringing hundreds of jobs to Brooklyn and 810 megawatts of clean energy to 500,000 New York City homes. 

The site, if completed, will be the staging and pre-assembly hub for the turbines of Equinor’s offshore Empire Wind 1, to be located offshore roughly 14 miles from Jones Beach State Park. The Sunset Park hub will include an onshore substation to connect the power generated offshore to a Gowanus substation, and from there into the New York City power grid.  

Map of New York’s offshore wind projects. Courtesy of NYSERDA
Map of New York’s offshore wind projects. Courtesy of NYSERDA

The executive order does nothing to stop any currently-permitted wind projects from moving forward, but that could change after federal review.

“The federal government has put a question mark on projects that we thought were certain,” Freudenberg said. “So if they determine that they are going to pull back permits and leases, that would affect projects being built — which would affect this port being built, because it’s associated with a project.”

Rendering of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Courtesy of the office of Rep. Dan Goldman
Rendering of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Courtesy of the office of Rep. Dan Goldman

Pulling back leases that have already been issued “is not something that’s ever been done before,” he said. “It would be pretty significant to take back a lease area and permits that have already been given. Will they do a review and determine that they want to take those back even though things are already moving forward? That’s the question.”

If the wind projects are halted, “New York will need to figure out how to get energy it was planning to get in the future — and on top of that, how to get renewable energy, because the state has committed to 70% renewable by 2030, and 100% by 2040,” Freudenberg said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul. Photo: Hans Pennink/AP
Gov. Kathy Hochul. Photo: Hans Pennink/AP

Hochul stands by the plan

Gov. Kathy Hochul said in her budget speech on Tuesday that the state remains committed to offshore wind and other forms of renewable energy.

“We must be prepared to meet the challenge of the federal government walking back commitments to offshore wind — a key energy source — in our transition to renewables,” she said. “This year’s budget directs $1 billion, our largest climate investment ever to accelerate New York’s clean energy transition.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Photo: Seth Wenig/AP File photo
New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Photo: Seth Wenig/AP File photo

Implications for NYC’s future power grid and local economy

At the ground-breaking ceremony in Sunset Park last June, the development was celebrated by Mayor Eric Adams, Rep. Dan Goldman, representatives of the New York State Research and Development Authority, local nonprofit UPROSE and Equinor, along with union workers and residents. The project would bring employment to local businesses, unions and the residents of Sunset Park, officials said. 

Goldman, a member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, called the project “a testament to what we can achieve when government and industry come together to realize the future of American green energy.”  The Eagle has reached out to Goldman for comment.

Donald Trump. Photo: Matt Rourke/AP
Donald Trump. Photo: Matt Rourke/AP

Halting the project would have a ripple effect, Freudenberg said.

“This is a community that has fought for a working waterfront for decades,” he said. “They have had this as a vision, and have fought to protect their waterfront from being developed because they want a working waterfront that supports their community. 

“So in addition to an economic impact, it would just be a big blow to the community if the federal government decides to pull back from the commitments it has made. It would have a ripple effect down to the community, the local economy and the working people of Sunset Park.”





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