SOURCE:
by: Marvin Scott - January 9, 2026
NEW YORK (PIX11) – Developers of wind projects along the East Coast, two of them on Long Island, are escalating their battle against the trump administration’s freeze on further development.
They claim the projects pose a threat to national security. Governor Kathy Hochul joined union members in Hauppauge to lash out at Washington.
Fired up, Governor Hochul declared, “I’m really pissed off because one thing we’ve worked hard at in our state is to create good-paying jobs for the future of our people.”
Developers of Sunrise Wind have gone to court challenging the work suspension ordered by Washington last month. They claim the project is being developed under contract with the state to deliver a new source of electricity amid rapidly growing demand. Once completed, the project is expected to provide enough power to electrify more than half a million homes.
Governor Hochul lashed out at the Trump administration’s claims that the project was stopped because of national security concerns.
“It’s BS, it is made up,” she bellowed.” They’re making this up to shut us down so they can make sure their oil and gas benefactors, donors, can continue on the path that they’re on.”
The developers say they’ve invested $4 billion in the five wind projects and have put nearly 4,000 people to work, with at least 1,600 involved in the Long Island development alone. The project is reportedly 60% complete.
The stoppage has created a hardship for those unemployed.
John Blanchfield told PIX11, “The bills don’t stop. Money is not coming in. I have three kids. There’s the college world, cars, and such, everybody knows how the pressure starts mounting.”
Environmentalist Adrienne Esposito had a message for Washington. “This is beneath the president, beneath America. America needs to add to its energy portfolio. “We have to grow to meet electricity demand.”
Governor Hochul fired up union workers not to give up their fight.
“Put pressure on Congress. Let them know there are consequences so that you cannot turn your back on the Long Island economy. You cannot turn your back on Long Island’s labor movement. We’re not putting up with that.”
The Department of the Interior says the pause in further work will give government agencies time to work with the developers to assess whether the national security risks the administration claims these projects pose can be resolved.
