The Pentagon and Pete Hegseth are facing a lawsuit from 9 renewable energy groups. Here’s why

Nine renewable energy groups filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, alleging that national security reviews for new wind farms on private land have been effectively frozen for months. The plaintiffs, including Renewable Northwest and the Advanced Power Alliance, claim this inaction jeopardizes approximately $47 billion in investments and thousands of jobs across 21 states. They assert that the policy of inaction "poses an existential threat to the wind energy industry across the nation by effectively halting all new development activity." Wind power currently accounts for about 10% of the electricity generated in the United States, making it the largest source of renewable energy, with solar being the fastest-growing. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Oregon, seeks a court order for the Pentagon to resume its ordinary review process for new wind energy projects. The Pentagon stated that it must balance new energy sources against military needs and that its siting clearinghouse is actively evaluating projects, though it is a complex inter-agency process. The Pentagon evaluates land-based wind energy projects as part of the Federal Aviation Administration review. An economic analysis by Charles River Associates Inc. was included with the plaintiffs' motion. Former President Donald Trump had previously ordered a temporary halt to leasing and permitting for wind energy projects, but a federal judge struck down that order.