The Biden administration could indeed face lawsuits over its energy policies, as legal challenges have become a significant feature of the current political and regulatory landscape surrounding energy in the United States. These lawsuits often arise from disputes over the administration’s authority, the impact of its policies on various stakeholders, and the balance between environmental goals and economic or energy reliability concerns.
One major area of contention involves offshore wind energy development. In 2025, a coalition of attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit challenging the President’s authority to impose an indefinite freeze on offshore wind project permitting. The plaintiffs argue that this freeze could erase nearly $100 billion in investments and cost tens of thousands of jobs if maintained throughout the President’s term. The legal battle has already survived motions to dismiss, indicating that courts are willing to consider the merits of these claims. The freeze creates uncertainty for developers, investors, and communities planning on offshore wind projects, potentially delaying or halting progress in this sector.
Another source of litigation relates to executive orders and federal actions that affect renewable energy projects such as wind and solar. For example, the Department of the Interior (DOI) under the current administration has taken steps to review and potentially eliminate what it sees as preferential treatment for wind and solar projects compared to dispatchable energy resources. This includes rescinding schedules for offshore wind lease sales, which removes predictability for developers and could slow project planning and financing. These moves align with a broader policy shift that some view as hostile to renewable energy development, especially on federal lands, and could prompt legal challenges from renewable energy advocates and industry groups.
Youth and environmental plaintiffs have also been active in challenging energy policies that they argue exacerbate climate change or block the transition to cleaner energy. Lawsuits have been filed against executive orders that extend fossil fuel operations or impede renewable energy development, with plaintiffs citing health risks, environmental harm, and failure to meet government interests in clean energy. However, the government often counters these claims by arguing that courts should not interfere with executive policy decisions and that plaintiffs lack legal standing or due process rights to demand specific climate-friendly policies.
In the transportation sector, legal disputes have arisen over the EPA’s authority to approve California’s stringent vehicle emissions standards, which the Biden administration reinstated after they were rescinded during the previous administration. Fuel producers have sued, claiming that these regulations unfairly depress demand for liquid fuels and that the EPA exceeded its authority by addressing global warming rather than local pollution. This case highlights the complex inte
