Overview

• President Trump issued an executive order directing the Justice Department to review state and local climate laws that hinder energy development, with findings due in 60 days.
• The order specifically targets programs like California’s cap-and-trade system and other state laws imposing carbon penalties or requiring fossil fuel companies to fund climate adaptation efforts.
• Democratic governors, including New York’s Kathy Hochul and New Mexico’s Michelle Luján Grisham, have rejected the order, citing constitutional protections for state authority.
• Legal experts have criticized the move as federal overreach, warning it could lead to litigation and stifle innovation in state-level climate policy.
• The order is part of a broader Trump administration agenda to prioritize fossil fuel production over renewable energy development and environmental protections.