As the Trump administration barrels forward with sweeping executive orders aimed at eliminating environmental regulations and fast-tracking fossil fuel projects, resistance is mounting—not just in the streets, but in the courts.
Environmental organizations such as Earthjustice and the Environmental Integrity Project have announced they are preparing legal challenges to the administration's latest moves to deregulate the energy sector. These executive orders are part of a broader strategy by the White House to strip away oversight mechanisms and dismantle environmental protections under the guise of “energy independence” and “economic revitalization.”
But advocates argue that what’s really at stake is the health of our environment, communities, and democratic institutions.
What’s Happening?
Earlier this month, President Trump signed a new series of executive orders that bypass traditional environmental review processes—specifically targeting regulations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Water Act. These orders would allow oil and gas pipelines, drilling operations, and other fossil fuel infrastructure projects to move forward without the usual studies on environmental impact or public input.
The administration claims these rollbacks are necessary to reduce “bureaucratic red tape” and unleash American energy. Critics say it’s a reckless and illegal shortcut to benefit the fossil fuel industry at the expense of people and the planet.
Legal Resistance Gears Up
Environmental groups aren’t taking this lying down.
Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, has made it clear they intend to file lawsuits challenging the legality of these executive orders. “You cannot sidestep laws like NEPA or the Clean Water Act just because they’re inconvenient,” said Earthjustice senior attorney Kristen Boyles in a recent statement. “We will see this administration in court.”
Likewise, the Environmental Integrity Project is preparing to argue that these deregulations violate statutes that require federal agencies to consider the environmental and health impacts of their decisions. These groups contend that the administration’s actions are not only harmful but unconstitutional, as they circumvent the checks and balances embedded in environmental law.
Why It Matters
Energy deregulation at this scale could lead to unchecked development of fossil fuel projects, increased carbon emissions, contaminated water sources, and devastation to wildlife habitats. It also threatens Indigenous communities and frontline neighborhoods, which often bear the brunt of environmental degradation.
Furthermore, the gutting of environmental reviews undermines public participation. NEPA was designed to give people a voice in the projects that impact their air, land, and water. Silencing those voices is a direct attack on environmental justice and democratic governance.
The Broader Battle
This is part of a larger trend within the Trump administration’s second term: a war on science, regulation, and any barriers to corporate profit. But the legal system remains one of the most powerful tools for resistance. These lawsuits could delay or derail harmful policies—and send a message that environmental protections are not optional.
As citizens, we must support these legal efforts, stay informed, and continue to speak out. The fight for a livable future doesn’t end with executive orders—it begins with resistance.
Follow us at Resistance Rising 2025 for ongoing updates on this and other stories about environmental, social, and political resistance in the age of Trump.
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