Democrats Slam New Interior Rule Slowing Down Solar and Wind Projects on Public Lands

Four Democratic senators are pushing back against a new directive from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that increases federal scrutiny of wind and solar energy projects on public lands, warning it will delay clean energy development and discourage investment at a critical time for U.S. power expansion. In a letter sent Friday, Senators Martin Heinrich, Ron Wyden, and two colleagues criticized the policy, which mandates that the Interior Secretary personally review every permit, lease, and construction decision for solar and wind projects on federal land. They argue the directive creates unnecessary bottlenecks and favors fossil fuel development over cheaper, cleaner energy alternatives. “Rather than ensuring an efficient permitting process for all energy resources, it appears this directive actively disfavors renewable projects in favor of more expensive and more polluting technologies,” the senators wrote. The Department of the Interior has not responded directly to the letter but defended the directive, claiming that "enhanced oversight will ensure all evaluations are thorough and deliberative." President Donald Trump, under whom the directive was issued, has long criticized renewable energy, calling it unreliable and costly, while aggressively promoting fossil fuel production. His administration has also moved to fast-track the expiration of tax credits for solar and wind. Clean energy developers argue the policy conflicts with Trump's broader push to eliminate regulatory hurdles and boost electricity supply to meet rising demand from new data centers and AI infrastructure. Under the Biden administration, the Interior Department had been reviewing over 65 major onshore renewable projects, with nearly 200 more pending, momentum that Democrats fear is now at risk of being stalled or reversed.