15 states file lawsuit against Trump's directive to expedite fossil fuel projects
A coalition of 15 U.S. states has initiated a new lawsuit opposing President Donald Trump's executive order that proclaims a "national energy emergency," which seeks to expedite the development of fossil fuels.
TroibNews 
A coalition of 15 U.S. states is taking legal action against President Donald Trump's executive order, which has declared a "national energy emergency" intended to expedite fossil fuel development.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown made the announcement during a press briefing on Friday. The coalition submitted a 61-page complaint to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
The lawsuit asserts that Trump's order breaches the National Emergencies Act of 1976, a law meant to ensure that presidential emergency powers are utilized "only when actual emergencies exist" and not for "frivolous or partisan matters."
"Prodded onto the shakiest of limbs by the President's unsupported and unlawful Executive Order, multiple federal agencies now seek to broadly employ these emergency procedures in non-emergency situations," the lawsuit claims.
Brown dubbed Trump's emergency declaration as "fake," citing that U.S. energy production has reached unprecedented levels.
"This is not a serious or lawful effort by the president. It is all about eliminating competition and shackling America to dirty fossil fuels forever," Brown said during a press conference in Seattle.
Trump's executive order was issued on his first day back in office this year. It promotes the growth of oil, gas, coal, and other fossil fuel sources, specifically excluding alternative energy initiatives like wind, solar, and battery-based projects.
"Our Nation's current inadequate development of domestic energy resources leaves us vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses an imminent and growing threat to the United States' prosperity and national security," Trump stated in the executive order.
The lawsuit further alleges that federal agencies have started to bypass or lessen environmental review requirements under laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
The legal action seeks a court ruling that would invalidate the executive order and prevent federal agencies from issuing expedited permits based on it.
The states participating in the lawsuit include California, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown made the announcement during a press briefing on Friday. The coalition submitted a 61-page complaint to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
The lawsuit asserts that Trump's order breaches the National Emergencies Act of 1976, a law meant to ensure that presidential emergency powers are utilized "only when actual emergencies exist" and not for "frivolous or partisan matters."
"Prodded onto the shakiest of limbs by the President's unsupported and unlawful Executive Order, multiple federal agencies now seek to broadly employ these emergency procedures in non-emergency situations," the lawsuit claims.
Brown dubbed Trump's emergency declaration as "fake," citing that U.S. energy production has reached unprecedented levels.
"This is not a serious or lawful effort by the president. It is all about eliminating competition and shackling America to dirty fossil fuels forever," Brown said during a press conference in Seattle.
Trump's executive order was issued on his first day back in office this year. It promotes the growth of oil, gas, coal, and other fossil fuel sources, specifically excluding alternative energy initiatives like wind, solar, and battery-based projects.
"Our Nation's current inadequate development of domestic energy resources leaves us vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses an imminent and growing threat to the United States' prosperity and national security," Trump stated in the executive order.
The lawsuit further alleges that federal agencies have started to bypass or lessen environmental review requirements under laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
The legal action seeks a court ruling that would invalidate the executive order and prevent federal agencies from issuing expedited permits based on it.
The states participating in the lawsuit include California, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
