WASHINGTON — Judge Karin Immergut, a U.S. district judge for the District of Oregon, issued an injunction Thursday ordering the Defense Department to resume processing applications for wind energy projects, lifting a halt on military reviews that began in April.
The order stemmed from a lawsuit filed by a coalition of renewable energy groups, who argued the administration's freeze was an unjustified effort to block wind power development and that the delays jeopardized jobs and economic activity tied to clean energy.
The Defense Department had cited national security concerns, with officials maintaining that proposed wind farms could interfere with military radar systems and flight paths.
At a two-hour hearing, Immergut said the evidence strongly showed the government had violated statutory and regulatory deadlines, siding with the energy groups.
The injunction requires the Pentagon to immediately restart reviews and report back on its progress every 30 days while the broader legal case proceeds.
The ruling delivers immediate relief to developers whose projects had been stalled, effectively blocking new wind farm construction and straining investment timelines. The legal dispute over whether the original halt was lawful remains unresolved.
