U.S. Interior Pauses Offshore Wind Leases Over National Security Risks

The U.S. Interior Department on Dec. 22 ordered an immediate pause on leases for all large-scale offshore wind projects currently under construction in U.S. waters. The decision followed classified national security reviews conducted in coordination with federal defense agencies, prompting regulators to assess whether the risks can be mitigated through technical or operational changes.

The department characterized the pause as a precautionary step intended to allow coordination with defense agencies, leaseholders, and affected coastal states. Projects subject to the suspension include Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1.

Federal concerns center on radar interference associated with large offshore wind turbines. Unclassified government analyses have previously found that rotating turbine blades and highly reflective tower structures can generate radar clutter, obscuring legitimate moving targets and producing false signals. Such interference raises potential risks for air defense, maritime monitoring, and national security operations near major coastal installations.

The Department of Energy highlighted these challenges in a 2024 assessment, finding that higher radar detection thresholds may reduce clutter but increase the risk of missing actual targets. Federal reviewers concluded that this tradeoff warrants additional scrutiny before offshore wind construction proceeds under existing configurations.

The pause follows recent judicial scrutiny of federal wind actions. A federal district court vacated an earlier nationwide suspension of wind energy authorizations, finding that an indefinite halt on permitting and approvals violated administrative law and improperly bypassed established review processes. The ruling restored the federal government’s obligation to process wind-related permits, highlighting legal constraints on broad pauses that lack a clear statutory basis.

Together, the security review and the court decision introduce uncertainty for developers and states, signaling that future offshore wind progress will depend on reconciling national security requirements with lawful permitting obligations.