Key facts
- Renewable energy groups are suing the Pentagon over stalled national security reviews for wind farms.
- The lawsuit claims these delays jeopardize $47 billion in investments and thousands of jobs across 21 states.
- The plaintiffs allege the Pentagon has effectively halted all new wind development activity.
- An economic analysis estimates 106 wind projects are impacted, potentially providing nearly 30 gigawatts of electricity.
- The Pentagon states it balances energy projects against military needs and that reviews are complex and ongoing.
Renewable energy groups have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. military, alleging that national security reviews for new wind farms on private land have been effectively frozen for months. The plaintiffs claim this inaction jeopardizes approximately $47 billion in investments and thousands of jobs across 21 states, posing an existential threat to the wind energy industry.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Oregon by nine groups including Renewable Northwest and the Advanced Power Alliance, states that the Pentagon stopped countersigning final agreements in August 2025 and progressively slowed the review process until all stages stopped in April. This has resulted in the slowest start to the year for new land-based wind power installations since 2018.
An economic analysis by Charles River Associates estimates that the 106 impacted projects represent over $47 billion in investment costs. These projects, spread across 21 states with significant concentrations in Texas, Kansas, and Illinois, could provide nearly 30 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power millions of homes. The analysis also estimates that these projects support over 120,000 jobs.
The Pentagon maintains that it must balance new energy sources against military needs and that a specialized office is actively evaluating projects. However, the plaintiffs are seeking a court order to compel the Pentagon to resume its ordinary review process. President Donald Trump has previously expressed hostility towards wind power and had ordered a temporary halt to leasing and permitting for wind energy projects, though a federal judge struck down that order.