Under Trump, EPA’s enforcement of environmental laws collapses, report finds

Following the inauguration of President Donald Trump for his second term, a new report reveals a staggering decline in the enforcement of environmental laws across the United States. The Environmental Integrity Project, a nonprofit watchdog group, analyzed federal court and administrative data, uncovering that civil lawsuits initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice in cases referred by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plummeted to a mere 16 in the first year after Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025. This represents a staggering 76% decrease compared to the first year of the Biden administration. In contrast, during Trump’s initial term, 86 such cases were filed in the first year, which itself was a decline from the Obama administration's tally of 127 cases four years prior. Jen Duggan, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "Our nation’s landmark environmental laws are meaningless when the EPA does not enforce the rules." The report's findings align with earlier analyses from organizations such as Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and Earthjustice, which have also highlighted a significant reduction in environmental enforcement during Trump's tenure. Since the onset of his second term, the administration has aggressively pursued a deregulatory agenda, scaling back critical regulations and health safeguards that historically protect air and water quality. This deregulatory push has particularly benefited fossil fuel companies, with Trump declaring an “energy emergency” immediately upon his return to office. At the EPA, Administrator Lee Zeldin launched what the administration touted as the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history” in March, aiming to rollback 31 distinct restrictions on pollution and delegate more authority to states — some of which have a track record of lenient enforcement. Additionally, the administration seeks to diminish the EPA’s role in addressing climate change under the Clean Air Act.