Newark‑offshore wind project Revolution Wind is under fire after federal agencies claim its developers, Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables, repeatedly failed to provide crucial information required for national security and fisheries protection. Despite having many wind turbines already installed and significant investment committed, the project faces a stop‑work order due to missing disclosures.
The Department of Interior (DOI) says the developers were ordered to submit detailed plans addressing how the project construction and operations would affect U.S. defense activities and federal marine research. These plans remain unfulfilled. In a September 12 affidavit, DOI’s acting assistant secretary for land and minerals management stated, “still DOI not received any information that these requirements have been satisfied…”.
Though the Revolution Wind project had been granted approval in November 2023, DOI allowed extensions for required filings—such as a plan to protect federal fisheries surveys, originally due by July 2025—yet it’s claimed those were not submitted. A related agreement with the Department of Defense called for coordination over defense interests—like avoiding interference with undersea monitoring systems and foreign investment issues—but key documentation has not arrived.
Because of the lack of compliance, the Trump administration issued a stop‑work order when remnants of required documentation remained outstanding. Construction was close to 80% complete: about 45 out of 65 turbines had been installed. Rhode Island and Connecticut have sued to force DOI to allow construction to resume, citing jobs, electricity contracts, and climate goals that depend on the wind farm.
