While the Trump administration rolls back regulations and speeds up timelines for the development of most types of domestically produced energy, it’s pumping the brakes on permitting for wind power on public lands.
On Monday, 18 attorneys general mostly from politically blue states filed a lawsuit against the administration over what they claim is an “unlawful attempt to freeze the development of wind energy,” according to Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office.
Wyoming is not party to the lawsuit, and an email inquiry to Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill was not returned.
Wind remains part of Wyoming’s electricity portfolio, providing 21% of Wyoming's total electricity generation, according to 2023 data from the Energy Information Administration. The EIA reported wind made up roughly 90% of the state's renewable electricity, and renewables overall contributed 23% of Wyoming's electricity that year.
A variety of wind developments remain active across the state, from large projects caught up in the federal permitting process to smaller projects on private land. Those projects are permitted by the state of Wyoming and do not fall under the current controversy over federal permitting.
In its lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts U.S. District Court, the coalition of attorneys general assert each of their states have, “Invested hundreds of millions of dollars in wind-energy development and even more in transmission upgrades needed to bring wind-energy resources onto the electricity grid.”
President Donald Trump’s Wind Directive issued Jan. 20 “orders the heads of relevant federal agencies to relinquish their congressionally imposed responsibilities.”
The Wind Directive states federal regulators, “Shall not issue new or renewed approvals, rights of way, permits, leases, or loans for onshore or offshore-wind projects pending the completion of a comprehensive assessment and review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices.”
Meanwhile, when it comes to developing fossil fuel resources, the Trump administration has pulled out all the stops, with options for industry to receive approval for projects in a couple of weeks.
“The Wind Directive has stopped most wind-energy development in its tracks, despite the fact that wind energy is a homegrown source of reliable, affordable energy that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, creates billions of dollars in economic activity and tax payments, and supplies more than 10% of the country’s electricity,” the lawsuit says.
Wyoming Wind Projects
In Wyoming, there are three projects regulated by the Bureau Land Management that might be impacted by the current halt in the permitting process necessary for siting turbines on federal land.
The BLM provided Cowboy State Daily with information on the three projects: Two Rivers near Medicine Bow, Jackalope near Wamsutter and Maestro in the Shirley Basin.
The lawsuit seeks to remove administrative roadblocks brought on by the Wind Directive and is asking the court to grant an injunction and clear the way for permitting wind projects on federal land.
Kara Choquette, VP of communications and government relations for the Power Company of Wyoming, told Cowboy State Daily that the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind energy projects appear unaffected by Trump’s order.
Choquette also underscored the upside of developing Power Company of Wyoming's wind projects in the state, with it providing, “The nation’s highest-quality wind resources plus direct access to critical infrastructure such as transmission, rail, fiber, natural gas and water.”
Left Out Of Settlement?
The lawsuit over the Wind Directive includes attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.
Does a major wind energy producing state like Wyoming stand to benefit if an injunction is placed on the Wind Directive?
“If the courts ultimately side with the 18 AGs who have brought this suit and block the Trump administration’s efforts to curtail wind energy projects nationwide, Wyoming could benefit from that injunction,” said Richie Taylor, communications director for the Arizona Attorney General’s office. “However, if the courts potentially grant a more narrow ruling that only affects the plaintiff states, then Wyoming would not benefit.”
From the point of view of attorneys representing Arizona and Colorado, a lot of money and energy generating potential are at stake.
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office released a statement Monday, accusing the Trump administration of providing “no reasoned explanation for categorically and indefinitely halting all wind energy development.”
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called on the federal court “to declare the President’s directive illegal and prevent the Administration from taking any action to delay or prevent wind energy development.”
Not On Wyoming’s Radar
At the annual Wyoming Energy Authority’s Next Frontier Energy Summit in Laramie this week, the rallying cry of the 18 attorneys general over the Wind Directive wasn’t a topic of discussion among the industry insiders, engineers, researchers and government officials gathered on campus at the University of Wyoming for the two-day event.
In his opening remarks to kick off the summit, Gov. Mark Gordon praised Wyoming for having the foresight to develop a regulatory framework that fostered the state’s energy industry. He also acknowledged the acrimony that can sometimes arise in debates over energy policy. And he gave a nod to the potential for progress if conflicts can be resolved.
“If we start dropping some of our opposition and start listening to each other, holy cow,” Gordon told those gathered Tuesday at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center in Laramie.
Gordon updated his “all-of-the-above” energy mantra to describe a broad approach to energy development.
“The best of all of the above” might be the better way to phrase it, said Gordon. “Renewables in the appropriate place. Fossils done right to nuclear done right. How can we be competitive in any market scenario?”
Private Land
While the lawsuit over regulating wind projects on federal land churns through the courts, Sarah Aftergood will continue her one-on-one outreach to Wyoming landowners with property that holds promise for producing wind power.
A director of development with Nova Clean Energy, Aftergood was in Laramie Tuesday to attend the WEA Energy Summit. She specializes in identifying promising wind resources on private land and contacting individual landowners who might be interested in leasing windmill sites on their land.
Aftergood said the change in administrations at the federal level and Trump’s Wind Directive has not interrupted her work.
“Nova Clean Energy is advancing multiple wind and storage projects here,” Aftergood told Cowboy State Daily.
She said the demand for wind energy remains strong for power generated by wind and solar.
“Wind, solar and storage projects bring large capital investment to the counties where they're built, yielding tax revenue that benefits the communities as a whole,” said Aftergood, who detailed how the projects she develops are regulated by the state of Wyoming, not federal agencies. “We see Wyoming as an important part of our business and are looking forward to continuing to invest in the state.”
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
