Judge orders Pentagon to resume stalled onshore wind project reviews

Judge Karin Immergut of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon issued an injunction compelling the Pentagon to end its suspension of onshore wind project reviews. The court concluded the Defense Department violated statutory deadlines after the War Department stopped routine checks that ensure turbines do not interfere with military operations, radar or flight paths. Renewable energy coalitions claimed the pause stalled 106 planned farms in 21 states, representing roughly $47 billion in foregone investments.

Immergut ordered the agency to resume the assessments and submit status updates every 30 days. The ruling was praised by environmental groups, with Sierra Club senior attorney Joshua Berman calling it a triumph for the rule of law. The Trump administration had defended the freeze on national-security grounds, part of a broader effort to curb wind development.