in effect
This is Executive Order 14260, signed April 8, 2025, by the President. It directs the U.S. Attorney General to find and act against state and local laws that the administration views as improperly restricting domestic energy (oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, geothermal, biofuel, critical minerals, and nuclear). It is a directive to a federal official, not a new statute passed by Congress.
The order tells the Attorney General to identify all state and local laws, regulations, lawsuits, policies, and practices that burden domestic energy and that may be unconstitutional, overridden by federal law, or otherwise unenforceable — giving priority to measures involving “climate change,” “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) programs, “environmental justice,” carbon or greenhouse-gas emissions, and carbon penalties or taxes. The Attorney General is then directed to take action to stop the enforcement of any such laws or ongoing civil cases judged to be illegal. Within 60 days of the order, the Attorney General must report to the President (through the Counsel to the President) on the actions taken and recommend any further presidential or legislative steps. The order also states it creates no new legal rights anyone can sue over and is limited by existing law and available funding.
State and local governments whose energy or climate laws come under this review are the main targets — the order specifically names New York and Vermont climate-cost laws and California’s carbon cap-and-trade program as examples. Energy producers involved in these state laws or lawsuits are also directly affected, since the order aims to halt enforcement against them. Within the federal government, the Attorney General and the Department of Justice carry out the identification, legal action, and reporting the order requires.