Federal Preemption of State Environmental Policies

For decades, states have adopted stricter regulations than the federal government’s for climate and the environment. In 2025, all three branches of the federal government — executive, legislative, and judicial — sought to undo these efforts. But environmental policymaking at the state level is continuing. One such effort is the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors representing 24 states formed during the first Trump administration to maintain their commitments to the Paris Agreement. 

Despite state efforts to blunt the federal preemption push, climate and environmental outcomes at the local level may pose challenges in the near term, as state and local budgets feel the strain of declining support in other areas.  Planners and communities may be hit hard, as state and federal environmental and climate policies are major drivers of local action. This may be an opportunity, however, for planners to tap into regional partnerships and work collaboratively across municipal boundaries to help communities pool resources, identify risks, and develop climate and environmental solutions.