Court Rules
All enforcement actions
Enforcement ActionLow RiskMultistate

Oregon AG and States Sue EPA Over Endangerment Finding Rescission

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyMarch 19, 2026Oregon Attorney General

Summary

Environmental enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, along with a coalition of states and cities, filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA's unlawful rescission of the 2009 Endangerment Finding on greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge argues that the rescission ignores scientific evidence and legal precedent, threatening public health and environmental protections.

Remedy

Lawsuit filed to overturn EPA's rescission; no specific remedies imposed at this stage.

Contract Impact

In-house legal teams should review vendor, customer, and supplier agreements for clauses related to environmental and regulatory compliance, particularly those referencing adherence to the Clean Air Act and greenhouse gas emissions standards. Key clauses to examine include representations and warranties regarding compliance with environmental laws, indemnification provisions for regulatory violations, reporting obligations on emissions data, termination rights for non-compliance, and sustainability or ESG commitments. Given the EPA's rescission attempt, contracts may need updates to ensure alignment with evolving legal standards, incorporate mechanisms for monitoring regulatory changes, strengthen compliance assurances, and address potential liabilities from future enforcement actions related to emissions and public health protections.

Contract Search Terms

emissions compliance warrantyregulatory adherence clauseenvironmental law compliance representationgreenhouse gas reporting requirementsustainability commitment clauseenvironmental indemnity provisioncompliance with Clean Air Actemissions reduction target clauseenvironmental audit rightregulatory change management

Laws Cited

Clean Air Act

Violation Types

Entity Details

Entity

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Also known as: EPA

Industry

Other

Multistate Coalition

Official Sources

Source Evidence

Entity Name
"U.S. Environmental Protection Agency"
Laws Cited
"Clean Air Act"
Violation Description
"blatantly disregarding the law and science"

Related Enforcement Actions

OR

U.S. Department of Transportation

Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of 21 attorneys general and Pennsylvania filed lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Transportation, FMCSA, and AAMVA to block demands for a database containing personal information of 17 million commercial drivers. The federal government threatened to withhold $10 million in funding unless the data was turned over, which the coalition argues violates privacy law.

OR

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield co-led a coalition of 10 states in a federal lawsuit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to block a rule that invalidates state laws requiring mortgage lenders to pay interest on escrow accounts. The lawsuit argues the OCC's rule oversteps federal authority, gives national banks a competitive advantage over state-chartered banks, and takes money away from homeowners.

OR

Nexstar Media Group

A federal judge ruled that Nexstar Media Group violated a court order requiring it to keep TEGNA Inc. operating as an independent company while a multistate antitrust lawsuit challenging the merger proceeds. The court found that Nexstar installed its own executives on TEGNA's board, failed to disclose the appointments, and lacked candor with the court. The court ordered Nexstar to comply immediately, file status reports, respond to discovery, and turn over board and financial documents, with a special master to oversee compliance.

OR

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, joined by a coalition of 23 other states, the District of Columbia, and two governors, sued the Trump administration to block a new policy by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) that would allow federal officials to access private records of millions of TANF recipients. The coalition argues the policy illegally shares sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers and immigration status, with other federal agencies and private organizations, violating the Administrative Procedure Act and the Spending Clause. The lawsuit seeks to declare the policy illegal and block it from taking effect.

OR

N/A

Attorney General Dan Rayfield and 49 other state attorneys general sent a letter to the FCC urging stronger 'Know Your Customer' rules to combat illegal robocalls. The coalition requests that phone companies verify customer identities and business practices to prevent scammers from using the network. The letter is part of Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup.

OR

Federal Communications Commission

Attorney General Rayfield and a coalition of 49 other attorneys general sent a letter to the FCC urging it to strengthen its Know Your Customer (KYC) rules to combat illegal robocalls. The coalition recommends requiring providers to understand customers' business, applying KYC standards to all providers, and collecting additional information on high-risk customers. No monetary penalty was imposed.