Four Northeastern governors have sent a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, urging the immediate lifting of stop work orders placed on five offshore wind projects, including Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind in New York. The letter, signed by Governors Kathy Hochul (New York), Maura Healey (Massachusetts), Ned Lamont (Connecticut), and Dan McKee (Rhode Island), also requests a classified briefing to review the national security threats cited as reasons for halting these projects.
The governors argue that the affected projects had already undergone significant federal review, including assessments by the Department of Defense. They question the validity of the new national security concerns, stating that such claims are inconsistent with previous reviews and established practices.
In their letter, they write: “The sudden emergence of a new ‘national security threat’ appears to be less a legitimate, rational finding of fact and more a pretextual excuse to justify a predetermined outcome consistent with the President’s frequently stated personal opposition to offshore wind.”
The letter also warns that blocking these clean energy projects could harm the U.S. economy and benefit foreign competitors. It references findings from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s 2025 Annual Report, which noted that China added significant power generation capacity in 2024 while the United States faces challenges meeting growing energy demands.
“With this irrational and erratic action, you are not solving a national security crisis; you are creating both a national security and economic disaster. By obstructing domestic power generation, you are inviting grid failure, surrendering the industries of the future, and threatening the economy and national security,” states the letter.
According to state officials, halting Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind could impact over 2,600 union jobs in New York alone. These two projects together would generate more than 1,700 megawatts—about 10 percent of New York City’s electricity needs.
Governor Hochul previously advocated for lifting an earlier stop work order on Empire Wind earlier this year.
The full text of the joint letter includes three main arguments: true national security is tied to energy security; administrative actions should not be based on undisclosed rationales; and recent delays represent indefinite postponement under pretextual grounds rather than genuine concern.
The governors conclude their letter by calling for immediate rescission of these suspensions: “Rescind these suspensions immediately. Let us get back to the work of powering this great nation.”