Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has launched another costly lawsuit against the Trump administration, this time over $9 million in climate resilience funding.
On August 8, 2025, Brown filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (Case No. 2:25-cv-1507), claiming the Trump administration, via NOAA, unlawfully terminated two grants:
- Tribal Stewards Program ($9.3 million): This 2024 grant aimed to train students in environmental fields, promising jobs in rural areas.
- Coastal Resilience Framework ($250,000): Awarded in 2023, it sought to address coastal hazards like flooding.
The complaint argues NOAA’s May 5, 2025, termination, citing new administration priorities, violates federal law. We see this as a necessary correction to bloated, ideologically driven spending.
“Climate change is here, and Washington communities need to prepare and build resilience,” Brown said. “The federal government promised funding to help local communities adapt, and we’re holding them to it.”
This is Brown’s 21st lawsuit against the Trump administration since January 2025, an unprecedented barrage costing taxpayers dearly. Federal lawsuits can run $100,000 to $1 million each, with attorney fees averaging $341/hour-$462/hour. With 21 suits, Washington’s legal tab could hit millions, diverting funds from roads, schools, or public safety. Brown’s lawsuit frenzy is an advancement of Governor Ferguson’s very public agenda to fight the Trump administration. This is more about political posturing than protecting Washingtonians
This is a good move by the Trump Administration:
- $9 million was tied to equity-focused climate programs, often riddled with inefficiencies. Redirecting funds to immediate priorities like energy production or job creation is a smarter use of taxpayer dollars.
- Washington’s climate initiatives, like the Tribal Stewards’ focus on “environmental justice,” prioritize ideological goals over practical needs. The state’s Climate Commitment Act already burdens families with high energy costs. Trump’s executive orders, like EO 14151, rightly challenge such overreach.
- NOAA’s termination reflects Trump’s mandate to cut waste, not defy Congress. Washington’s claim of “unconstitutional” action ignores the administration’s legal authority to reassess grants.
- The complaint’s dire claims—job losses, coastal risks—overstate the programs’ value. Private sector innovation, not government handouts, drives real job growth and resilience.
Brown’s lawsuit spree, including this challenge, burdens taxpayers with millions in legal costs while Governor Ferguson’s administration obsesses over climate issues that do little for citizens struggling with a high cost of living and a record-breaking tax increase signed in 2025. Instead of clogging courts, Washington should prioritize relief for families and negotiate practical solutions – but we probably have a better chance of seeing pigs fly.
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