Eva Lighthiser, 19, lives in Livingston, Montana, and is accustomed to milelong coal trains rumbling through town and blowing coal dust across the city. In 2023, she was a plaintiff in a youth-led lawsuit that sought to force her state to tackle climate change.
Now, she’s the lead challenger in Lighthiser v. Trump, a new climate lawsuit that accuses President Donald Trump of violating the Constitution by issuing a trio of executive orders that fast track fossil fuel development.
“Every place is going to be affected by this administration and it’s very concerning to see what that will look like moving forward,” Lighthiser said in an interview.
The case, filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, argues that Trump’s executive orders will worsen climate change and increase health dangers by declaring a “national energy emergency” and directing the government to “unleash American energy.”
