A federal judge ordered the Defense Department to restart national-security reviews for onshore wind projects after the process slowed beginning in August 2025 and stopped entirely in April.
The Pentagon reviews proposed turbines during the Federal Aviation Administration process because tall structures can interfere with military radar, training routes and other operations. Developers and the military normally negotiate mitigation rather than treat every conflict as a veto. The industry plaintiffs said the freeze stalled at least 106 verified projects across 21 states—about 29 gigawatts of proposed capacity and $47 billion in investment.
The order does not approve those wind farms. It requires the Pentagon to resume the case-by-case process so projects can receive conditions, rejection or clearance on the record. Wind currently supplies about 10% of U.S. electricity, so a nationwide review stoppage affects far more capacity than a single permit dispute.