A coalition of environmental and science organizations has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration for removing public access to key climate and environmental justice tools from government websites.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the suit is led by Public Citizen Litigation Group on behalf of the Sierra Club, Environmental Integrity Project, Union of Concerned Scientists, and California Communities Against Toxics.
The lawsuit claims that shortly after taking office, the Trump administration began deleting climate-related content and tools, including the EPA’s EJScreen and the Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). These resources were widely used to identify communities facing disproportionate environmental and health risks.
Also removed were the Department of Energy’s LEAD Tool and Community Benefits Plan Map, the Department of Transportation’s ETC Explorer, and FEMA’s Future Risk Index. These tools helped track energy affordability, transportation equity, climate vulnerabilities, and pollution burdens—data essential for public health advocacy and policymaking.
Environmental groups argue the removal blocks access to taxpayer-funded data and undermines transparency, especially for low-income and overburdened communities. The lawsuit is part of growing concern over broader efforts by the Trump administration to weaken environmental safeguards, including moves to revive coal plants, expand mining, and roll back clean air and water protections.
