Justice Department Statement on Lighthiser Case in Montana

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s ruling to dismiss the case Lighthiser et al. v. Donald J. Trump et al., a case where plaintiffs sought to challenge President Donald J. Trump’s executive orders to unleash American energy, declare a national energy emergency, and to reinvigorate America’s clean coal industry. 

“The appellate court unanimously affirmed what the district court said months ago — the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring this suit because they did not establish that the Executive Orders caused any injury or that any injury could be redressed by the courts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Working with our partner agencies, ENRD is on the front lines of advancing the President’s energy directives, using America’s abundant natural resources to our benefit including by having clean and healthy air and water.”