AG Bonta today co-led a multistate coalition in filing an amended complaint expanding its ongoing legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order (EO) entitled “Declaring a National Energy Emergency.” The amended complaint adds the United States Department of the Interior as a defendant, challenging its actions to illegally bypass requirements in the National Environmental Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and other federal laws when permitting fossil fuel and other energy projects. Last May, the multistate coalition filed a lawsuit challenging the President’s EO, along with the actions taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation pursuant to the EO. Although national energy production reached an all-time high under President Biden and has continued growing, President Trump unlawfully invoked authority under the National Emergencies Act to improperly declare a “national energy emergency.” Despite there being no energy emergency, pursuant to the EO, the Department of Interior asserts the existence of an energy emergency to fast-track fossil fuel projects while simultaneously blocking the development of cost-effective wind and solar energy projects. As a result, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition amended the previously-filed complaint to include the Department of Interior. 

“We do not have a national energy emergency, period. Yet the President is fabricating one to continue to line the pockets of big corporations. I filed a lawsuit with a coalition of attorneys general challenging the President’s unlawful declaration, and now we’re going back to court to block the Department of Interior’s illegal actions pursuant to his directive. We will not let the Trump Administration illegally bypass important environmental protections and will continue to hold them accountable for breaking the law.” - AG Bonta