The Lava Ridge Wind Project was a proposed renewable energy development in Idaho intended to generate more than 1,000 MW of wind power. The project was approved in a revised form by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in December 2024 following modifications to its original scope.

The Trump administration later canceled the project after concerns and opposition were raised regarding its proximity to the Minidoka National Historic Site, a location associated with the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

The original proposal included up to 400 wind turbines. Following public consultations and review processes, the approved version had been reduced to 241 turbines located northeast of Twin Falls before the project was canceled.

Other Projects

Despite the pushback on the Lave Ridge wind projects by the Trump administration, the SunZia wind farm is advancing towards full operation. The $11bn SunZia wind farm in New Mexico is expected to come online next month amidst Trump administration pushback. The wind farm has been billed as the largest clean energy installation in the US. However, the pipeline on new large-scale renewables is dried up as the president puts pressure on such projects. The SunZia wind farm is expected to provide 3.5 gigawatts of power capacity, enough to power one million homes annually.

Scope on the Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho

On the first day of President Donald Trump’s second term, he signed an executive order halting all wind energy permitting nationwide, triggering a federal review of the Lava Ridge Wind Project. That review has now resulted in a full cancellation. The Trump Administration’s oppostion to wind power generation earlier in the year saw the Empire Offshore Wind Project put on hold for a month before it was permitted to continue.

The BLM’s final environmental impact statement in June 2024 had proposed a reduced project area, with the nearest turbine set at least nine miles from the Minidoka site. Despite this compromise, the Lava Ridge Wind Project has now been terminated.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum commented, “By reversing the Biden administration’s careless decision, we’re protecting vast areas of rural Idaho from disruptive wind infrastructure. This move safeguards taxpayer interests and averts one of the largest, most poorly sited wind developments in the country.”

Lava Ridge Wind Project Timeline

• Early Planning Phase (Pre-2021)
  Magic Valley Energy, a subsidiary of LS Power, begins planning the Lava Ridge Wind Project in south-central Idaho, proposing up to 400 turbines generating over 1,000 MW.

• 2021–2023
  Public feedback and environmental studies are conducted. The project faces growing opposition due to visual impacts on the Minidoka National Historic Site, a WWII Japanese American incarceration camp.

• June 6, 2024
  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) releases its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). It recommends a scaled-down version of the project, reducing turbine count and overall footprint by 50%.

• December 9, 2024
  The BLM approves the revised Lava Ridge Wind Project:

  • 241 turbines

  • 9 miles minimum distance from the Minidoka site

• January 20, 2025
  President Donald Trump begins his second term and issues an executive order halting all wind energy permitting. The Lava Ridge Project is paused for review.

• August 6, 2025
  The Interior Department formally cancels the Lava Ridge Wind Project, citing the need to protect historical sites, taxpayer resources, and rural Idaho’s landscape.