The US Department of the Interior has reversed the previous administration’s approval of the Lava Ridge Wind Project, a proposed 1,000MW facility in southern Idaho. The decision follows a review of the project’s permitting process, initiated under a presidential memorandum on offshore leasing and wind energy permitting.
The Lava Ridge project, planned to cover nearly 57,500 acres with up to 231 turbines, was originally approved in December 2024. The Department claims it has since identified legal deficiencies in the approval process, citing non-compliance with specific statutory requirements.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the reversal is intended to protect rural communities and public lands from large-scale wind developments deemed inconsistent with federal policy priorities.
The Department of the Interior has indicated it will continue reviewing wind energy leasing and permitting processes, with an emphasis on evaluating environmental and social effects.
