In letters to 19 environmental organizations, the House Natural Resources expresses concern that the organizations have abused fee-shifting provisions under federal law to generate income. The letters follow hearings from December 2025 and May 2026 on the same topic. The letters cite the Endangered Species Act, statutes covered by the Equal Access to Justice Act, and other laws as examples of provisions that “enable[] prominent environmental nonprofits…to recover the litigation costs of their vexatious lawfare campaigns.” The letters conclude by demanding the organizations to share documents and information such as processes for pursuing legal action against federal agencies or personnel. The following organizations received letters: Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Cascadia Wildlands, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, High Country Conservation Advocates, Montana Environmental Information Center, Native Ecosystems Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oregon Wild, Rocky Mountain Wild, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Sierra Club, Western Watersheds Project, WildEarth Guardians, The Wilderness Society, Wilderness Watch and Wilderness Workshop.
Tags: 119th (2025-2026) | environmental | none
