Two federal courts have delivered significant setbacks to the Trump administration's efforts to halt clean energy initiatives, ordering the reinstatement of clean energy grants and allowing offshore wind farm construction to resume [Earth.org].
The court decisions come as the administration implements sweeping changes to federal climate policy. On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Unleashing American Energy," which ordered additional oil and gas exploration, accelerated drilling permits, eliminated electric vehicle credits and regulations, and revoked 12 climate- and energy-related executive orders from the Biden administration [Eos.org].
Meanwhile, climate data collection and analysis programs are facing unprecedented disruptions. Many EPA programs and offices responsible for climate data have been shuttered due to budget cuts and staff reductions, creating what researchers describe as a "widening climate data void" [Eos.org]. In April, the EPA failed for the first time to meet obligations under a 1992 treaty requiring greenhouse gas reporting from wealthy countries, with the Environmental Defense Fund eventually releasing the data through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Political appointees have also indicated plans to "virtually eliminate" the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, which requires the country's largest industrial sites to report emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide [Eos.org].
Despite federal rollbacks, state-level climate action continues to advance. The U.S. Climate Alliance reported that member states are maintaining their climate commitments, with California achieving a 750% increase in clean energy days since 2022 [U.S. Climate Alliance]. New Mexico recently unveiled its Climate Action Plan with over three dozen steps to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, while Colorado's air quality protections have cut greenhouse gases by 70% according to a new environmental group study [U.S. Climate Alliance].
The administration has also moved to boost fossil fuel production while creating obstacles for renewable energy. Trump declared a "national energy emergency," granting federal agency heads authority to provide emergency approvals for expedited energy project completion [Eos.org]. In November, the EPA announced delays to methane emissions reduction requirements, giving oil and gas companies until January 2027 to comply. The administration also proposed revoking vehicle fuel efficiency standards tightened in 2024, with finalization expected in 2026.
Environmental groups continue legal challenges against various rollbacks. The Environmental Law & Policy Center and community organizations have filed lawsuits to stop exemptions from air pollution rules for steel industry coke ovens, while a Midwest and Great Lakes coalition has urged the EPA to withdraw clean water rule changes [ELPC].
The competing directions between federal rollbacks and state progress, combined with ongoing court challenges, highlight the complex landscape of current U.S. climate and environmental policy implementation.