The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Trump has faced scrutiny for its enforcement actions against polluters, with a new report revealing a record-low number of legal actions compared to previous administrations. According to the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), the Trump EPA's efforts in 2025 were notably lower than those of the Obama and Biden administrations. The group's analysis of court records showed a staggering 87% decrease in legal actions compared to Obama's second term and a 76% drop compared to Biden's first year. Even more striking, the Trump EPA's actions were 81% fewer than those of the first year of his administration in 2017.
The EPA's reliance on the U.S. Department of Justice to file lawsuits has been a significant factor in this decline. A recent E&E News analysis revealed that at least a third of lawyers in the Justice Department's environment division have left in the past year, leaving fewer government attorneys to handle these cases. This staff exodus has contributed to the EPA's reduced enforcement capabilities.
In response to the EIP report, EPA press secretary Brigit Hirsch defended the agency's commitment to its core mission of providing clean air, land, and water. She argued that the agency is focused on achieving swift compliance rather than overzealous enforcement that could cripple industries based on climate zealotry. However, the EIP report was labeled 'erroneous' by Hirsch, who claimed the agency would soon publish numbers showing more cases concluded in the first year of the Trump administration than in the last year of the Biden administration.
The report also highlighted a decrease in administrative penalties against polluters. Through September, the EPA imposed $41 million in penalties, which is $8 million less, adjusted for inflation, than the same period in Biden's first year, and $5 million less than the first Trump administration. Jen Duggan, EIP executive director, emphasized the importance of enforcing environmental laws to protect public health and quality of life.
Despite the criticism, the Trump administration has prioritized deregulation and has taken steps to roll back environmental regulations. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to target over two dozen rules and policies, calling it the 'most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history.' Trump's administration has also withdrawn the U.S. from the 2015 Paris Agreement, a global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid the worst consequences of climate change. These actions have sparked controversy and raised concerns about the administration's commitment to environmental protection.
