Overview

• President Trump’s executive order, issued on his first day in office, declared a national energy emergency to expedite oil and gas development using emergency powers.
• Fifteen Democratic state attorneys general argue the order unlawfully bypasses federal environmental reviews under laws like the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.
• The lawsuit seeks a federal court ruling that the executive order is unlawful and an injunction to halt emergency permitting for non-emergency projects.
• Plaintiffs contend U.S. energy production is already at record highs, undermining the justification for emergency measures.
• The White House has not yet responded to the lawsuit, which highlights concerns over endangered species, critical habitats, and state sovereignty in environmental regulation.