What We Do
Established by the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Clearinghouse was created to provide a timely, transparent, and repeatable process to evaluate potential impacts and mitigation options related to alternative energy production. The Clearinghouse works with private industry and developers, state, local, and Tribal governments, regulators, and non-governmental organizations to minimize adverse impacts to military training, testing, and operations.
The Clearinghouse mission evaluation process for energy projects was revised by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA (Section 311 of Public Law 115‐91) in efforts to strengthen Department efforts. The Clearinghouse consists of three integrated focus areas: the mission compatibility evaluation process, the active development of technical solutions, and stakeholder engagement with state, local, and Tribal governments. Communication, early and often, is critical in ensuring the timely resolution of concerns to enable development that supports both renewable energy generation and transmission needs.
Annually, the Clearinghouse reviews over 6,000 projects to assess adverse risks to national security.
Core Focus Areas
Evaluation Process
Through its mission compatibility evaluation, the Clearinghouse consolidates the inputs of DOD branches, offices, and bases that conduct analyses to assess potential impacts on their missions.
- Informal Project Reviews
Offers informal review to identify potential issues early in the process and encourages all developers of an energy project, landowners, state and local officials, Tribal governments, and other Federal agencies to request a preliminary determination prior to filing a formal review.
- Formal Project Reviews
Reviews projects filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to identify and minimize potential conflicts. Information on the full formal review process is available on the Clearinghouse website.
- Offshore Energy Compatibility
Leads the Department’s interactions with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to ensure offshore energy compatibility in both state and Federal waters.
Research and Development
Works to develop planning tools to analyze projects and impacts on military missions in existing and new development areas nationwide.
Stakeholder Engagement
Works with state, local, and Tribal governments, and Federal agencies on legislative, regulatory, and administrative efforts and educates stakeholders about the process, relevant codes and legislation, and potential risks to national security.
Legal Authority
In January 2011, Congress directed the establishment of the DOD Siting Clearinghouse in Section 358 of the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, Public Law 111-383. In Section 183a of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, Public Law 115-91, the Clearinghouse was renamed the Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse, and its authority was codified in Title 10 of Chapter 7.
The Department supports renewable energy where it is compatible with the military's mission to test, train, and operate. With the rapid expansion of alternative energy, the Department is increasingly called upon to review the compatibility of proposed wind, solar, transmission, and other projects with military activities. The Clearinghouse provides a timely, transparent, and repeatable process that can evaluate potential impacts and explore mitigation options while preserving the Department's mission through collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.