Judge Halts Trump Interior Rule on Wind & Solar
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Judge Denise J Casper issued a preliminary injunction on April 23, 2026, stopping the interior department’s rule that required personal approval by the interior secretary for all wind and solar projects on federal lands and waters.
- Doug Burgum had introduced the “elevated review” process in July, giving him final authority over leases, rights‑of‑way, construction, and operation plans for renewable projects.
- Interior Department defended the rule as necessary to end “preferential treatment” for renewables under the Biden era, but the court found it likely violated federal statutes.
- Congress passed a law last year that phases out tax credits for wind and solar while boosting subsidies for coal, oil, and natural gas, a policy reinforced by Trump’s executive order restricting renewable subsidies.
- Federal tax credits for wind and solar projects are set to expire soon, risking up to $20 billion in lost incentives if permitting delays persist.
Why it matters: Renewable developers keep $20 billion in expiring tax credits, while fossil‑fuel interests lose a regulatory advantage; the injunction preserves permitting speed, preventing project delays that will stall U.S. clean‑energy capacity growth.
