US Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate changes to federal wind leasing and permitting practices since January 2025.
The request focuses on actions by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and other federal agencies affecting onshore and offshore wind projects, including changes to approval processes, project reviews, lease status and the impact of permitting decisions on the sector.
A presidential memorandum issued in January 2025 paused new federal approvals, leases and permits for wind projects while a review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices was carried out. The request asks the GAO to assess how these procedures have changed, the status of existing wind leases and projects under review, and the impact of recent decisions on developers, stakeholders and energy targets.
The investigation would also examine the economic implications of project suspensions, including stop work orders and changes to lease agreements, for the wind industry, consumers and the federal government.
