Solar and wind energy developers now face another clamp down on development by the Trump administration, as the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) announced it will require “elevated review” by the Office of the Secretary for project permitting.
Projects seeking leases, rights-of-way, construction and operation plans, grants, consultations and biological opinions will now be subject to approval by Trump-appointed Interior head Doug Burgum’s office.
“American Energy Dominance is driven by U.S.-based production of reliable baseload energy, not regulatory favoritism towards unreliable energy projects that are solely dependent on taxpayer subsidies and foreign-sourced equipment,” said acting assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Adam Suess in a DOI press release.
The move follows a Trump executive order earlier this month that instructed the Department of the Interior within 45 days to conduct a review of regulations, guidance, policies and practices to determine whether it applies “preferential treatment” to wind and solar facilities in comparison to dispatchable energy sources. If such “preferential treatment” is found, it instructs the Department to eliminate such provisions.
“By removing these artificial advantages, the Department is levelling the playing field for dispatchable, cost-effective and secure energy sources, such as clean coal and domestic natural gas, after years of assault under the previous administration,” said the DOI press release.
Kabir Green, director of federal affairs for nature at the Natural Resources Defense Council said the move imposes unprecedented scrutiny and bureaucratic roadblocks that could indefinity delay or delay clean energy projects on public lands.
“It is not about oversight, but about unfettered obstruction of wind and solar projects that create jobs, cut pollution, lower costs and strengthen communities. This policy protects select industry profits, not the public interest,” said Green.
Green said the requirement that the that Secretary Burgum must personally sign off on each project for a broad range of permit actions is “absurd.”
“Can you imagine if Sec. Burgum ran his billion-dollar tech company like this—reviewing every single IT ticket himself? That kind of micromanagement would paralyze any operation, and here it’s being used deliberately to snuff out renewable energy development,” said Green.
Ray Long, president and chief executive officer of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) said the rules amount to a “tsunami of red tape and roadblocks” for investment in solar and wind projects.
Long said “Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s personal approval on at least 69 distinct permitting actions — from site leasing to rights of way applications — on potentially hundreds of projects represents an unnecessary and inefficient approach to permitting that will lead to significant delays and uncertainty.”
The Trump administration campaigned on an “all the above” approach to energy policy but has since made sweeping changes targeting a slowdown in solar and wind development. Under the Republican-backed One Big Beautiful Bill, developers now face tightened deadlines on tax credit eligibility and foreign content restrictions.
“[The action] stands in direct conflict with the Secretary’s stated goals as chair of the National Energy Dominance Council: to increase domestic energy production and streamline development,” said Long.
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