The Center Biological Diversity has sued five cabinet-level agencies, seeking to stop the so-called Department of Government Efficiency and its DOGE teams from taking further actions against multiple environmental agencies until each team fully complies with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. This is the first lawsuit challenging DOGE’s efforts to eviscerate the agencies charged with protecting the environment, natural resources, and wildlife.
Today’s lawsuit aims to protect the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Environmental Protection Agency, among others.
Because DOGE teams include a mix of full-time, part-time, volunteer, and special government employees (the designation given to Musk), they must comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. To date, no agency has even announced its intention to comply with this important transparency law, which applies to advisory committees established by the president.