Environmental Defense Fund v. U.S. Department of Transportation

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in federal district court in the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking to compel a response to requests for calendars and correspondence of DOT officials related to DOT’s proposed and anticipated actions to roll back greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles and for heavy-duty trailers. The complaint alleged that DOT was “now taking a prominent role in attacking these win-win safeguards” and that “[k]nowledge of the extent and nature of communications with external stakeholders is critical for EDF, its members, and the public to make an informed judgment” about DOT’s actions.