Pentagon foot-dragging blocks wind farms, lawsuit says
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Renewable energy groups have sued the U.S. military, alleging that national security reviews for new wind farms on private land have been stalled for months, threatening $47 billion in investments and thousands of jobs across 21 states.
- The lawsuit claims the Pentagon's inaction has effectively halted all new wind energy development, with the review process slowing since August 2025 and stopping entirely by April 2026.
- The Pentagon defends the delays as necessary to balance energy development with military needs, involving complex interagency coordination and evaluations during FAA reviews.
- The stalled projects include at least 106 wind farms that could generate nearly 30 gigawatts of electricity, supporting over 120,000 jobs and spanning states including Texas, Kansas, and Illinois.
- President Trump has expressed strong opposition to wind energy, particularly offshore wind, and previously ordered a temporary halt to wind leasing and permitting, though a federal judge blocked that order.