The Trump administration has proposed a $25 million increase for the corner of the Justice Department that defends and executes the nation’s environmental laws.
Under the White House’s recent fiscal 2027 request, DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division would receive $115 million, a 27.8 percent boost over its enacted fiscal 2026 level.
The Trump administration said the money would help ramp up defense of the president’s environmental actions, including his declaration of a national energy emergency and withdrawal of U.S. waters for offshore wind leasing.
“These cases are non-discretionary — the federal government must respond to lawsuits filed against it. ENRD’s defensive caseload has increased significantly in recent years and is expected to continue to increase in FY 2027,” the Justice Department wrote in budget documents. “This defensive work is a specialized litigation docket that cannot be referred to the United States Attorneys’ offices.”
