Environmental Lawsuit Hits EPA, Interior, Forest Service for Hiding Rule Rollbacks to Aid Oil Industry

The Center for Biological Diversity sued four federal agencies on April 16, 2025. They want to know what’s happening behind closed doors with plans to cut environmental rules. The lawsuit names the Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Forest Service.

The legal fight centers on the government’s refusal to share “action plans” that would help oil companies by removing environmental safeguards. These plans come from Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” order, which told agencies to find and cut rules that limit energy production.

“The Trump administration and DOGE continue to dismantle environmental safeguards across the nation without a modicum of transparency,” said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It seems obvious that polluters and other special interests are completely in the driver’s seat and probably ghost writing all of Trump’s pro-fossil fuel directives.”

How This Affects Your Air, Water, and Wildlife

The rule cuts target protections many families rely on:

Air pollution limits that prevent asthma attacks and breathing problems. When these rules are weakened, the air in your neighborhood could contain more harmful particles and chemicals.

Clean water safeguards that keep pollution out of streams and wetlands. These waterways often feed into sources of drinking water.

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Wildlife protections that prevent the extinction of endangered animals. The administration has announced plans that would, among other things, “eliminate protections for public lands, open up the Grand Canyon area for uranium mining, and approve, without environmental review, air pollution permits for oil and gas processing facilities.”

Former EPA administrators have voiced strong concerns that these rollbacks could lead to increased pollution and endanger the lives of millions of Americans.

The Legal Battle

The environmental group first asked for these records in February through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The law says government agencies must share requested public information within 20 business days. Nearly two months later, they’ve received nothing.

“Why else would Trump officials be so defiant about illegally keeping the public in the dark?” Hartl asked.

Reports show that many of the staff who handle these information requests have lost their jobs in government-wide layoffs. Reports indicate that key FOIA staffers have been caught in the wave of government-wide layoffs.

States Fight Back

Many states aren’t waiting for the federal government. They’re creating their own environmental rules to replace federal protections being cut. This could create a patchwork of different standards across the country, with some people enjoying clean air and water protections while others don’t.

The Tenth Amendment, which gives states certain rights, will be key in these fights between state and federal officials.

Jobs vs. Health Costs

The debate about costs works both ways. Supporters say cutting environmental rules saves money for businesses. Critics point out the high price of pollution:

• More hospital visits for asthma and heart problems
• More sick days from work
• Higher healthcare bills for families
• More damage from worsening storms and floods

During Trump’s first term, similar lawsuits helped expose plans to restart coal mining on public lands. Records also showed that former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt had purposely delayed protecting species from pesticides, which led to an investigation.

The Center expects to see the requested records within two to three months. These documents may reveal just how much oil companies are influencing the cuts to rules that protect our air, water, and land.