San Francisco, May 10 – A coalition of 15 US states has filed a lawsuit challenging former President Donald Trump’s executive order that declares a “national energy emergency” and accelerates the development of fossil fuel projects. The lawsuit, spearheaded by Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, was filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington on Friday.
At a press conference in Seattle, Brown criticized the executive order as “fake” and politically motivated. “This is not a lawful or serious emergency declaration. It’s a thinly veiled attempt to eliminate clean energy competition and lock America into a fossil fuel-dependent future,” he stated.
The 61-page complaint argues that Trump’s order violates the National Emergencies Act of 1976, which limits presidential emergency powers to actual national emergencies. The lawsuit contends that U.S. energy production is already at record levels, making the emergency claim unfounded.
Trump signed the order on his first day back in office earlier this year, asserting that insufficient domestic energy development threatens national security. The order promotes oil, gas, and coal development, while explicitly excluding renewable sources like wind and solar.
Since its issuance, several federal agencies have started bypassing or minimizing environmental reviews under landmark laws including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Historic Preservation Act, the lawsuit claims.
The coalition seeks a court ruling to invalidate the executive order and halt any fast-tracked permitting processes based on it. Participating states include California, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, alongside Washington.
Environmental advocates have hailed the lawsuit as a crucial step in defending both democratic checks and climate protections.
