Court should order restart of wind project reviews, environmental groups say
Eight environmental groups support lawsuit seeking to end Defense Department’s de facto ban on approval of new wind projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 18, 2026) – Environmental groups today urged a federal court to move quickly to force the Defense Department to end its de facto ban on new wind energy projects.
In an amicus brief filed with the U.S. federal district court in Oregon, the eight groups said this latest anti-wind action from the Trump administration will lead to more air pollution from fossil-fuel energy sources, higher electricity bills, and greater damage from climate change if the court does not take immediate action. The resulting emissions alone would impose billions of dollars in costs on society in the coming years.
“This Administration once again refuses to follow Congress’ clear direction to conduct timely, project-specific reviews,” said Frank Sturges, Senior Attorney at Clean Air Task Force. “Instead, the Department of Defense has imposed an indefinite, across-the-board blockade on an entire industry without legal justification. Wind energy delivers affordable, zero-emission electricity that strengthens grid resilience, improves public health, and lowers energy costs for communities across the country. This unlawful de facto ban threatens to delay critical energy infrastructure and will deprive communities of the economic, health, and environmental benefits that wind power has to offer.”
The Department of Defense has misused a routine review process to halt more than 100 proposed wind projects, the filing says. Projects impacted by the Department’s review freeze are expected to provide approximately 46,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity – enough to power 14 million homes.
“The Department’s review freeze operates as a de facto ban on new wind development, with enormous and widespread harms to the public and the environment,” the legal brief says. “If these projects are further delayed or canceled, the resulting disruption will be felt throughout the country.”
The filing today came from Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Clean Air Task Force, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Protection Information Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, New York League of Conservation Voters, and the Sierra Club, which is represented by Earthjustice. The case is Renewable Northwest v. Hegseth. The groups urged the court to grant a preliminary injunction or stay, forcing the Defense Department to start considering and clearing wind projects again.
This is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration to block wind energy, the filing says. The groups argue that these actions are restricting much-needed new electricity generation at a time when electricity demand is rising and utility prices are skyrocketing across the country.
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About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organisation working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalysing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With 30 years of internationally recognised expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
