The pause, announced by the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Defense, applies to projects in every stage of development — from those still in planning to projects already approved or under construction. Federal officials said the action is intended to allow time for additional review and coordination among federal agencies, the U.S. military, and offshore wind developers, particularly regarding potential interference with military and civilian radar systems used for aviation and maritime navigation.
The five offshore wind projects affected by the suspension are:
- Empire Wind 1 (New York–New Jersey coast), developed by Equinor
- Vineyard Wind 1 (off Massachusetts), the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind farm
- Revolution Wind (off Rhode Island and Connecticut), led by Ørsted
- Sunrise Wind (off New York), also developed by Ørsted
- Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW), a Dominion Energy project off Virginia
Together, the projects represent several gigawatts of planned renewable energy capacity and have been central to state and federal clean energy strategies along the Eastern Seaboard.
Rep. Chris Smith (R–NJ), a long-time critic of offshore wind development, welcomed the administration’s decision, saying it validates concerns he has raised for several years regarding radar interference and national security risks. Smith had been sounding the alarm well before the current pause, repeatedly warning federal agencies, the military, and the public that offshore wind turbines posed unresolved national security issues. He has consistently shared information suggesting that large turbine arrays could create radar “clutter,” potentially degrading systems relied upon by the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Armed Forces.
Smith pointed to an April 2025 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examining offshore wind’s impact on radar systems, a study he said he requested with other members of Congress. He also cited legislation he sponsored that passed the U.S. House in 2023 requiring certification that offshore wind projects would not interfere with military or aviation radar capabilities.
Empire Wind, in particular, has drawn heightened scrutiny due to its proximity to critical transportation and defense infrastructure, including Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and JFK, as well as Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey.
Speaking about the federal pause, Smith said, “This has been one of my deepest concerns and an issue I have fought since day one. The fact that these risks were never fully tested, and that the previous administration would not certify the projects as safe, is alarming and, at best, negligent. You don’t move forward with projects of this magnitude — especially in close proximity to critical military installations and major airports — without first proving they pose no risk to national security, aviation safety, or maritime operations.”
Local Impact of Offshore Turbines and Transmission Lines
Beyond Empire Wind, the federal pause also affects offshore wind development tied to the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South project. The project, which has drawn significant attention locally, would place turbines roughly nine miles off Long Beach Island. Its onshore transmission infrastructure would impact Sea Girt, Manasquan, Wall Township, and Howell.
Plans call for subsea cables to make landfall near the Sea Girt National Guard Training Center before running underground through local corridors to grid connections in Howell. Officials and residents in those communities have raised concerns about construction disruption, long-term infrastructure impacts, environmental effects, and potential costs associated with hosting offshore wind transmission infrastructure.
Beyond national security issues, critics have also pointed to potential impacts on commercial and recreational fishing, marine ecosystems, and coastal tourism. Others have questioned the overall cost of large-scale offshore wind development and the financial burden it could place on taxpayers and ratepayers.
Offshore wind developers and clean energy industry groups told Reuters that several of the paused projects had already undergone years of federal environmental and security review. They warned that halting construction could delay clean energy goals, disrupt supply chains, and impact jobs connected to offshore wind manufacturing, port development, and maritime construction across multiple states.
The administration has not provided a timeline for completing its review or determining whether the projects could resume under revised conditions or additional mitigation measures. For now, construction activity on all five offshore wind projects remains on hold.
The decision represents one of the most significant federal interventions into offshore wind development to date and signals a broader reassessment of U.S. offshore wind policy, particularly along the densely populated and strategically sensitive Northeast coast.
Federal Government Halts Major Offshore Wind Projects Over National Security Threats, Echoing Rep. Smith’s Longtime Concerns | Holmdel & Colts Neck, NJ News TAPinto | TAPinto
