Ankara: Fifteen US states have filed a lawsuit challenging an executive order by President Donald Trump, which uses emergency powers to expedite oil and gas development, claiming it breaches significant environmental safeguards.

According to Anadolu Agency, the lawsuit was filed in a federal court in the state of Washington, targeting an order issued by Trump on his first day in office that declared a 'national energy emergency.' The directive instructs federal agencies to accelerate fossil fuel projects using methods such as the Defense Production Act and eminent domain.

Attorneys general from the states involved argue that the order unlawfully permits agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers and the Interior Department to circumvent reviews mandated by the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, which are key pieces of environmental legislation.

The lawsuit contends that the expedited processes compromise states' rights. Rob Bonta, California's attorney general, described the directive as 'just another unlawful directive from the president, this time acting well beyond the scope of his emergency powers.'

The White House defended the executive order, asserting that 'President Trump recognizes that unleashing American energy is crucial to both our economic and national security,' and emphasized that determining national emergencies falls within presidential authority.

The plaintiffs seek to have the court annul the order and prohibit the use of emergency permitting for projects that do not meet established emergency criteria.