New court ruling blocks many of the government's anti-renewable policies

"Judge Casper stated that the suing organizations were unlikely to win their claims that the policy was arbitrary and capricious, as the justification provided was sufficient for a temporary injunction."

"The laws governing public land use require agencies to weigh multiple factors, balancing benefits of different uses against preservation, which the new rules failed to do."

"While the ruling is positive for renewable energy developers, it does not guarantee uninterrupted growth, as agencies may still create informal obstacles to project approvals."

The Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior are required to consider energy production per acre against alternative land uses. A judge ruled that the policies were illegal as they relied solely on energy density calculations, ignoring the need to balance multiple factors as mandated by law. Although the ruling benefits renewable energy developers involved in the lawsuit, potential informal obstacles to project approvals may still arise, and the government could appeal the injunction, leaving future renewable growth uncertain.

Read at Ars Technica