A coalition of 15 states has filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at accelerating energy infrastructure projects. The states argue that the administration unlawfully bypassed key environmental regulations, putting protected species, cultural landmarks, and vital ecosystems at risk.
Executive Order Sparks Legal Pushback
According to the Associated Press, Trump signed the order on his first day in office, declaring a “national energy emergency” to promote domestic oil and gas production. The directive invokes the Defense Production Act and allows federal use of eminent domain—tools typically reserved for actual emergencies, such as natural disasters or national crises.
According to the lawsuit, filed on Friday in a federal court in Washington state, alleges that agencies including the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior are moving forward with projects without necessary reviews under the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Led by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the states argue that the US is already producing energy at historic levels. While acknowledging the importance of affordable and reliable electricity, they contend that fast-tracking development without proper oversight poses irreversible environmental harm.
“The Executive Order is unlawful,” the lawsuit states, adding that bypassing legal safeguards threatens waterways, wetlands, endangered species, and culturally significant sites.
States Assert Right to Environmental Oversight
The attorneys general further argue that the Clean Water Act grants state authority to manage water quality within their borders. They argue that the executive order undermines this right by weakening state-level review and enforcement.
“The shortcuts inherent in rushing through emergency processes fundamentally undermine the rights of states,” the lawsuit claims.
The coalition is asking a federal judge to invalidate the executive order and prohibit federal agencies from applying emergency permitting to non-emergency projects. The White House has not yet issued a response.
In addition to Washington and California, the attorneys general from Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin have joined the suit.
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