Protecting Military Readiness from Offshore Wind Industrialization Interference Act

Bill Number

H.R. 6930

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-12-23: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Last Updated

2026-01-23T15:01:37Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The legislation aims to protect U.S. military readiness by requiring assessments of how offshore wind energy projects might interfere with radar, sonar, and other defense operations along the Atlantic Coast. It seeks to ensure that renewable energy development does not compromise national security.

Key Provisions

• Presidential Certification (Section 2): Within 90 days of enactment, the President (or a designee) must provide a written certification confirming that offshore wind projects in the North Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic Planning Areas (designated ocean regions managed for energy leasing) will not:
• Weaken, degrade, interfere with, or nullify military radar and sonar systems.
• Reduce Armed Forces capabilities or limit combat operations, training, or rescue missions.
• If the certification cannot be made (i.e., risks are identified), the President must halt any threatening projects using national security authorities.
• Department of Defense Inspector General Study and Report (Section 3): The DOD Inspector General (an independent oversight official) must conduct a comprehensive study within 180 days, covering:
• Effects of offshore wind projects on military radar, sonar, air/maritime traffic, and related systems used by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), NASA, and U.S. Maritime Administration.
• Sufficiency of the current approval process for these projects, including consultations between agencies like the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM, which handles offshore energy leasing) and DOD.
• Audit of approvals by the Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse (a DOD group reviewing potential conflicts with military sites).
• Specific assessments of impacts on flight paths, threat detection, airspace/water navigation, training, Coast Guard safety operations, and overall national security risks.
• Evaluation of mitigation strategies from a 2016 DOD report on wind energy impacts.
• The report must be submitted to Congress in unclassified form, with an optional classified annex for sensitive details.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces mandatory certification by the President, which did not previously exist for offshore wind projects.
• Requires a new, detailed DOD Inspector General study and audit of the approval process, expanding beyond current inter-agency consultations (e.g., under the National Environmental Policy Act or BOEM regulations) to include explicit national security reviews and potential project halts.
• Builds on but goes further than prior DOD guidelines (like the 2016 report) by mandating independent oversight and congressional reporting.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Could lead to delays or cancellations of offshore wind leases and approvals by BOEM, FAA, and others; increases workload for DOD, Inspector General, and Coast Guard in assessments; empowers presidential intervention in energy projects for security reasons.
• Citizens: May slow renewable energy expansion in coastal states (e.g., New Jersey, Maryland), potentially affecting job creation in wind energy but enhancing military protection for communities near bases or training areas.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could influence U.S. commitments to global renewable energy goals (e.g., under Paris Agreement) if projects are halted, signaling prioritization of defense over climate initiatives.
• Broader effects include balancing clean energy goals with security, possibly setting precedents for reviewing other infrastructure (e.g., undersea cables) near military zones.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Military and Defense Entities: DOD, Coast Guard, FAA, NASA, U.S. Maritime Administration—directly impacted by potential interference with operations.
• Energy and Regulatory Bodies: Offshore wind developers, BOEM, and the Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse—face heightened scrutiny and possible project disruptions.
• Congress and Executive Branch: Gains oversight tools via reports; President assumes new certification and halting authority.
• Coastal Communities and Industry: Residents, environmental groups, and energy firms in Atlantic states (e.g., sponsors from New Jersey, Maryland) affected by energy development pace and economic opportunities.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens executive authority under national security powers (e.g., Article II of the Constitution) to override energy approvals, potentially leading to lawsuits from developers challenging halts as arbitrary. Enhances Inspector General independence in auditing inter-agency processes.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's war powers (Article I) by mandating security reviews, but could raise separation-of-powers questions if presidential actions conflict with statutory energy laws.
• Political: Highlights tensions between renewable energy promotion (bipartisan climate goals) and defense priorities; may fuel debates on "green" infrastructure's security risks, influencing future energy policy without overt partisanship in the bill text.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-12-23: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
• 2025-12-23: Introduced in House
• 2025-12-23: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Protecting Military Readiness from Offshore Wind Industrialization Interference Act — issued 2025-12-23 — PDF (6 pages)