Protect the Public’s Trust v. U.S. Department of Energy

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed in the federal district court for the District of Columbia sought to compel the U.S. Department of Energy to release records regarding attendance by DOE employees and contractors at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom (COP26). The plaintiff alleged that DOE wrongfully withheld non-exempt responsive records, and that release of the documents was “in the public interest because they will help the public understand how much money and other resources were spent to participate in the COP26 Conference and whether Department officials acted consistent with applicable laws and regulations in participating in the COP26 Conference.”