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Energy & Environment

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The Big Story

Interior, Energy must rehire fired workers, judge says

The Trump administration must reinstate probationary government employees fired unlawfully at several agencies, including Interior and Energy, a judge has ruled.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup’s ruling broadens his previous order to now require the government to reinstate probationary employees fired on Feb. 13 and 14 at the Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and Treasury departments.

The case is one of multiple pending lawsuits challenging the mass terminations of probationary workers, who are usually in their first or second year in a role. The firings are just one dimension of a broader effort by the new Trump administration to reshape the federal bureaucracy, which has sparked dozens of lawsuits.

In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration will “immediately fight back” against what she called an “absurd and unconstitutional” order.

“A single judge is attempting to unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the Executive Branch,” said Leavitt.

The Interior Department fired 2,300 probationary employees while the Energy Department reportedly got rid of around 2,000.

However, further cuts are looming across the federal government.

Read more from The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

EPA to steer environmental enforcement officers away from energy companies

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated this week that it will steer its environmental enforcement officers away from energy companies.

Full Story

Farmers sue Trump administration over halted IRA grants

Farmers and environmental groups are suing the Trump administration over its decision to pause grants that are part of the Democrats’ climate, tax and health care law.

Full Story

California regulators slam new-car-dealer campaign against emissions rule

California air quality regulators are pushing back against a recent ad campaign launched by new-car dealers, which maintain that stringent zero-emissions targets could ravage the Golden State’s economy.

Full Story

Rep. Raúl Grijalva dies at 77

Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), 77, died Thursday after a long battle with lung cancer. He was the longtime top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee.

Full Story

Vote of note

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced the nominations of David Fotouhi and Aaron Szabo to the full Senate. The 10-9 party-line votes advanced Trump’s picks for the EPA’s No.2 role and the leader of its Air and Radiation Office, respectively.

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Amazon forest felled to build road for climate summit (BBC)
Trump administration slams brakes on government’s adoption of electric vehicles (NPR)

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Democrats look to save face in shutdown battle

Senate Democrats say privately that they will not allow the government to shut down Saturday, despite growing pressure from activists and liberal lawmakers who want them to kill a GOP-crafted six-month stopgap spending bill. Read more

Exclusive: How ‘no daylight’ from Biden crippled the Harris presidential campaign

Excerpted from “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House” by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, to be published April 1 by William Morrow. Copyright © 2025 by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes. Reprinted courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers. Read more