TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging the agency unlawfully halted reviews of more than 100 wind energy projects nationwide.
The lawsuit argues the Defense Department has refused to carry out legally required reviews of proposed wind projects, delaying developments that the coalition says would expand electricity generation and help reduce energy costs.
“Instead of focusing on boosting domestic sources of clean energy, the Trump Administration has chosen to freeze projects that would supply much-needed electricity to New Jerseyans and people across the country,” said Attorney General Davenport. “What New Jersey residents need is more, not less, energy generation to bring down record-high electricity bills, but the federal government is undermining nationwide investments in clean power that will impact prices here at home.”
Under federal law, wind turbine projects with turbines taller than 200 feet must be reviewed by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense to determine whether they could affect military operations, radar systems, flight paths or national security. The lawsuit alleges the Defense Department abruptly stopped following that review process in August 2025, leaving more than 100 projects stalled at various stages.
According to the complaint, New Jersey is part of the PJM Interconnection regional power grid, which would receive electricity from some of the delayed projects. State officials argue the additional energy generation could help ease rising electricity prices across the region.
The coalition contends the Defense Department’s actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act by unlawfully changing policy without adequate explanation and by unreasonably delaying required reviews. The lawsuit asks the court to order the agency to resume reviewing the pending wind energy projects.
The lawsuit marks the third legal challenge by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General against actions taken by the Trump administration affecting the wind energy industry. Earlier this year, New Jersey joined a lawsuit challenging the cancellation of a lease for a major offshore wind project off the coasts of New Jersey and New York. Last year, the state also joined a multistate lawsuit challenging a presidential memorandum that halted federal approvals for offshore and onshore wind energy projects.
Joining New Jersey in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.
