Executive order brings Lava Ridge Wind Project to a halt

JEROME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — An executive order signed by President Donald Trump has put a halt to the Lava Ridge Wind Project. This wind project would have allowed the construction of more than two-hundred wind turbines to be built on public lands in Jerome, Lincoln, and Minidoka counties. But the project faced a lot of opposition.

“You know it was great. As you know, I promised Idaho people this wasn’t going to happen,” says Idaho Senator Jim Risch.

Senator Risch says putting a stop to the Lava Ridge Wind Project was a top priority for him once President Trump won the election.

“Right after Trump nominated the Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum to be the new secretary of interior-- called him in, sat down with him, told him what we were trying to do, he was in full agreement with him and then of course I had already talked to the president about it,” says Risch.

The Bureau of Land Management announced the final approval for the project in December -- saying the wind turbines would power up to half a million homes. But it’s faced fierce backlash since the initial announcement back in 2021, including from local farmers and groups looking to preserve the public land.

“We care deeply about our national parks and upholding the resources and values that they were designated for, so we were really disappointed when the Biden administration decided to move forward on this wind project,” says Kristen Brengel.

Kristen Brengel is the Senior Vice President of the National Parks Conservation Association. She says the organization has worked closely with the group “Friends of Minidoka” to preserve the Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome County, which is near the proposed project site.

“By putting a wind farm at the doorstep of this national park is don’t really honor that history it basically obstructs the view that people would have and change the experience,” says Brengel.

The “Friends of Minidoka” released a statement reading in part quote: “The proposed Lava Ridge Wind Development should be stopped and the area outside of Minidoka should be protected from future energy development that harms the viewshed of the park.”

Senator Risch says the executive order could stop the project from ever moving forward.

“What happens after you do this is, the people who were inclined to invest in it, they are now disinclined in any way to consider this because of the risk involved and now under the new administration it is prohibited under federal law,” says Risch.

KMVT also spoke with the BLM about President Trump’s executive order. However, the press secretary told us that it’s too early for the agency to give a comment.

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