Four Democratic US senators on August 1 criticized last month's directive by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. They said it imposes additional scrutiny on every wind and solar power project, and it will discourage private investment at a time when power demand is rising. 

The senators stated that the directive would hinder the advancement of wind and solar energy, which made up most of the new power generation in the US last year. They appealed to Burgum to withdraw the directive and reinstate a permitting process for renewable energy that is both transparent and efficient.

The Interior Department declined to comment directly but stated that all reviews will be conducted thoroughly and deliberatively. 

US President Donald Trump has claimed wind and solar power are unreliable and costly, and has advocated for expanding US oil, gas, and coal production. He took several actions intended to limit the growth of wind and solar energy. 

According to the senators, the Interior Department had been evaluating over 65 utility-scale onshore clean energy projects, with nearly 200 additional projects awaiting review.