OREGON — Nine renewable energy groups, including Renewable Northwest and the Advanced Power Alliance, filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in U.S. District Court in Oregon in 2026. The lawsuit alleges the military suspended national security reviews for new land-based wind farms.

The plaintiffs claim these review delays threaten $47 billion in planned investments and thousands of jobs across 21 states. The lawsuit asserts that the Pentagon stopped countersigning final agreements in August 2025 and halted all review stages by April 2026. The plaintiffs have submitted a motion requesting a court order to compel the Pentagon to resume standard project reviews.

The Pentagon reviews land-based wind energy projects as part of Federal Aviation Administration procedures. The Department of Defense stated it weighs new energy development against military operational requirements. A military office, called the siting clearinghouse, assesses energy projects for national security risks, and the Pentagon stated that this office continues to evaluate wind projects through a process requiring interagency coordination.

The American Clean Power Association sent a letter to the Pentagon in March, requesting an explanation for the suspended reviews. "The U.S. wind industry needs the government to carry out the normal review and permitting processes to keep the lights on for families and businesses," Jason Grumet, Chief Executive Officer of the American Clean Power Association, said. The Department of Defense declined to comment on cited economic impacts, citing ongoing litigation.

The lawsuit included an economic analysis prepared by the consulting firm Charles River Associates Inc. This analysis identifies 106 wind projects affected by the review delays and estimates these projects represent more than $47 billion in capital and development expenditures. The estimated costs cover turbine acquisition, contractor labor, financing, grid interconnection fees, and other development expenses. These affected projects are located across 21 states, with a concentration in Texas, Kansas, and Illinois.

Completion of the 106 delayed wind farms would add approximately 30 gigawatts of generation capacity. Approximately 12 gigawatts of this delayed capacity is located in Texas. The delayed projects support an estimated 120,000 jobs across construction, supply chain, and operational sectors. The domestic land-based wind industry currently employs more than 380,000 workers nationally.