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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Obama Blocks Chinese Wind Farm in Oregon

WASHINGTON (CN) - Citing national security concerns, President Barack Obama blocked a Chinese company from building wind turbines near restricted military airspace in Oregon.

The Delaware-based Ralls Corporation, owned by the Chinese company Sany Group, sought to develop wind farms earlier this year.

Ralls bought four companies that had the rights to build wind turbines in north-central Oregon in March of this year.

The land where the companies planned to build the turbines is near the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon.

On Friday President Obama said "there is credible evidence" that Ralls, the Sany Group, and its owners "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States."

The President ordered the companies to divest all interest in the projects within 90 days, and remove everything from the properties within two weeks of the order.

The companies also must certify their divestment with the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS). That agency issued an interim order in July asking the company to stop its operations.

On Monday, Ralls sued Obama, the CFIUS and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in D.C.'s federal court, challenging the executive order.

"At no time has Ralls ever had any opportunity to view, review, respond to, or rebut any evidence that CFIUS, the President, or any person or entity acting on their behalf has obtained, reviewed, or relied upon in reviewing the transaction in question, concluding that the transaction raises national security concerns, issuing the aforementioned orders, and imposing the foregoing extraordinary prohibitions and restrictions," the complaint says.

Ralls is represented by Paul Clement, former Solicitor General for George W. Bush.

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