Amidst spending freezes and policy reversals under Donald Trump, environmental advocacy groups are preparing for a series of legal battles with the administration. Despite being better prepared from their experience during Trump’s first term, the upcoming court battles will be challenging, as the administration is pushing the limits of the nation’s legal framework, aiming to consolidate power within the executive branch.

Trump’s dismissal of experts may weaken the administration’s defense against efforts to undermine deregulations, yet there’s a concern, fueled by statements from Trump and Vice-President JD Vance, that the administration will disregard court rulings. These authoritarian stances, suggesting that the executive is above the law, are deeply troubling and antidemocratic, according to Jason Rylander of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute.

The Guardian reached out to the White House for comment on this matter. Many of the environmental executive actions taken by the president in his first weeks in office are likely to face lawsuits, as concerns regarding the legality of these actions are high. Several court challenges have already commenced, such as lawsuits against the removal of Biden-era protections for federal waters from oil and gas development and a notice of intent to sue over an administration move that could threaten wetlands.

Other litigation may take longer to develop, as some of Trump’s orders have not yet been implemented. Executive orders cannot be litigated until agencies respond and attempt to roll back existing rules. If these actions are inconsistent with the law, then they will be challenged.

Environmental advocacy groups have been preparing for these legal battles by filing information requests and lawsuits. In summer 2024, before the election, the Sierra Club submitted Freedom of Information Act requests about officials expected to enter the White House if Trump won the election. These records could be crucial in challenging the administration’s policies.

During its first term, the Trump administration faced hundreds of legal challenges to its deregulatory efforts and won only 23% of cases, a sharp decline from previous administrations. Some environmental groups, such as Earthjustice and the Center for Biological Diversity, won even more often. They expect to continue this trend in this term as well.

However, the Trump administration may be in a stronger legal position compared to its first term with a more conservative Supreme Court and detailed plans to dismantle environmental policy, such as the infamous Project 2025. The recent overturning of the Chevron doctrine, which directed courts to defer to federal agencies’ expertise, may also impact these legal battles.

Despite these challenges, Rylander is confident that the environmental groups will prevail, noting that the groups won in most cases during Trump’s first term. The mass layoffs and firings within the administration may also undermine their deregulatory goals by leaving agencies with fewer experts.

Environmental groups argue that the administration’s actions, particularly the dismissal of experts, may be self-defeating and undermine their ability to enact rules in legally defensible ways. The uncertainty surrounding how the Supreme Court will handle these cases and the administration’s disregard for the law has environmental advocacy groups on high alert.

The legal battles ahead will be crucial in safeguarding not only environmental laws but also democracy itself, according to Rylander.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/26/trump-environment-lawsuits