Responding to what many are decrying as a fabricated crisis, Attorney General Mayes joins forces with a coalition of 14 state attorneys general to bring a lawsuit against President Trump's announcement of a "national energy emergency." According to a press release from the Office of the Arizona Attorney General, the suit claims Trump's move seeks primarily to benefit fossil fuel interests and bypass established environmental regulations.
In a move that calls to question the validity of Trump's declaration, the president has directed federal agencies to circumvent critical environmental and public health assessments traditionally mandated under the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. Placing Arizona’s environmental resources, tribal heritage, and its community's health at risk, the lawsuit posits that the implementation of this directive profoundly undermines state protections and public lands.
In a statement to the press, Attorney General Mayes condemned the executive order, saying, "This so-called emergency is nothing more than a political stunt designed to benefit fossil fuel companies at the expense of Arizonans' health and safety." Mayes firmly positions the state of Arizona in opposition to the executive branch's recent overtures, which neglect the investment in clean energy and favor "outdated, polluting fuels."
It's noteworthy that such emergency powers have traditionally been reserved for actual crises, such as natural disasters, not for granting carte blanche to energy projects. Yet, in what seems a problematic disregard for established protocols, agencies now act under orders from above. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the combined legal action targets not only President Trump but also the heads of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for carrying out the president's questionable mandates.
The attorneys general are calling for the court to declare such overreaching not only unauthorized but also illegal. They seek to suspend the issuing of emergency permits that have been granted under this executive order. The suit has garnered support from a diverse group of states ranging from Washington to Wisconsin, as listed in the Office of the Arizona Attorney General's press release.
