The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing a major environmental lawsuit filed by a broad coalition of environmental organizations and municipalities against the Trump administration. The case, *The Sustainability Institute v. Donald Trump*, involves 13 environmental groups and six major cities challenging federal environmental policies implemented by the administration.
The plaintiffs include prominent environmental organizations such as the Sustainability Institute, Agrarian Trust, Alliance for Agriculture, Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, Bronx River Alliance, CleanAire NC, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, Marbleseed, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA, Organic Association of Kentucky, and Earth Island Institute. Additionally, the Conservation Innovation Fund joined as a plaintiff in the litigation.
Six major cities have also joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs: Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Madison, Wisconsin; Nashville, Tennessee; New Haven, Connecticut; and San Diego, California. This represents a geographically diverse coalition spanning from coast to coast, indicating the broad scope of concern about the administration's environmental policies.
The defendants named in the case include President Donald J. Trump in his official capacity, along with several high-profile administration officials and federal agencies. Kevin Hassett is named in his official capacity as Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council. The United States Office of Management and Budget and its Director Russell Vought are also defendants.
The Environmental Protection Agency and its Administrator Lee Zeldin feature prominently in the lawsuit. Zeldin, who previously served in Congress representing New York's First Congressional District, was confirmed as EPA Administrator following the 2024 election. The inclusion of the EPA suggests the case involves challenges to environmental regulations or enforcement actions.
The Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins are named defendants, indicating the case may involve agricultural or land use policies. Rollins, who previously served as Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives during Trump's first term, now leads the agriculture department.
The Department of Transportation and Secretary Sean Duffy are also included among the defendants. Duffy, a former Wisconsin congressman and Fox News personality, was confirmed to lead the transportation department. The inclusion of DOT suggests potential challenges to transportation-related environmental policies or infrastructure decisions.
Notably, the lawsuit includes the United States Department of Governmental Efficiency Service, a new government entity, and its officials. Amy Gleason is named as Acting Administrator of the DOGE Service, while Elon Musk is listed as Senior Advisor. This inclusion indicates the environmental coalition may be challenging efficiency initiatives that could affect environmental protections or regulations.
The Department of Energy and Secretary Chris Wright round out the list of defendants. Wright, who has extensive experience in the energy sector, particularly in oil and gas development, leads the department responsible for energy policy and nuclear weapons programs.
The case number 25-1575 was filed on Jan. 21, 2026, in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over federal appeals from Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The timing suggests this lawsuit was filed shortly after the Trump administration took office, indicating concerns about immediate policy changes or reversals.
The Fourth Circuit has historically been involved in several high-profile environmental cases and has shown varying approaches to environmental law depending on the composition of judicial panels. Environmental law experts will be watching closely to see how the court handles this challenge to federal environmental policies.
The broad coalition of plaintiffs suggests the case involves policies with wide-ranging environmental impacts affecting multiple sectors including agriculture, transportation, energy, and general environmental protection. The inclusion of both advocacy organizations and municipal governments indicates potential challenges to policies affecting both environmental protection and local government operations.
The case represents one of the first major environmental challenges to Trump administration policies in the federal appeals courts. Environmental groups have historically used litigation as a key strategy to challenge federal environmental policies they view as inadequate or harmful to public health and environmental protection.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for environmental policy implementation and enforcement during the Trump administration. The Fourth Circuit's decision will likely influence how environmental challenges to federal policies are handled in other circuits and could potentially reach the Supreme Court depending on the issues involved and the circuit's ruling.
As the case proceeds through the appellate process, environmental advocates and policy observers will be monitoring developments closely for insights into how the courts will review Trump administration environmental policies and the scope of judicial review available for such challenges.