Attorney General Mayes Intervenes to Protect Onshore Wind Energy Projects in Arizona
PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes today joined a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in moving to intervene in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Secretary Pete Hegseth for unlawfully freezing routine reviews of land-based wind energy projects across the country. Federal law requires DoD to review proposed wind projects for potential national security concerns and work with developers to address any issues.
In August 2025, DoD stopped moving projects through this process, blocking wind energy development nationwide, including the Black Ridge Renewable Project in Apache County. Attorney General Mayes and the coalition are asking the court to set aside DoD's unlawful freeze and order the agency to resume the review process required by federal law.
"DoD's abrupt and unexplained freeze on wind energy reviews is putting jobs and investments at risk in Arizona," said Attorney General Mayes. "We're asking the court to force DoD to follow the law and get this process moving again."
Under federal law, land-based wind project developers must submit any proposed projects with wind turbines over 200 feet tall to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for review. The FAA then refers these projects to DoD to assess whether they could affect military operations, radar systems, flight paths, or national security. For more than a decade, DoD engaged in a predictable review process and worked with developers to mitigate potential concerns. Mitigation measures often included changes to turbine placement or height, radar upgrades, or agreements to pause generation under certain circumstances.
In August 2025, DoD abruptly stopped following this process. Officials ceased countersigning mitigation agreements, stopped sending completed agreements to developers for signature, and delayed or halted communications with developers about mitigation. As a result, wind projects across the country have been frozen at various stages of the review process, including those that had already completed mitigation negotiations and were awaiting only final DoD approval.
Attorney General Mayes and the coalition argue that DoD's freeze is unlawful, arbitrary and capricious, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. DoD has not provided a reasonable explanation for its sudden change in policy, accounted for the harm to states, developers, workers, and ratepayers, or considered the major investments made in reliance on its longstanding review process. The coalition also argues that DoD's refusal to act is causing unreasonable delay and undermining Congress' directive that DoD balance national security concerns with the responsible development of renewable energy. They are asking the court to require the agency to resume reviewing and approving land-based wind projects.
Joining Attorney General Mayes in intervening in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington.
A copy of the complaint is available. A copy of the motion to intervene is available.