How Sierra Club is holding DOGE and Elon Musk accountable
Sierra Club is standing up to Elon Musk and DOGE, filing a crucial new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to expose their efforts to dismantle critical government functions. This is the latest move in our ongoing fight to protect public lands and the agencies that safeguard them.
Photo Credit Eliza Earle
Friend, thanks to your dedicated support, we are using every tool at our disposal to hold powerful figures accountable and ensure that our public lands remain protected. So far, we've been able to file three FOIA requests to promote transparency and accountability in the new administration.
What is a FOIA request?
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request is a legal tool that allows us to demand government records that are not publicly available. These records help us uncover the truth about what's happening behind closed doors and ensure accountability from those in power. In this case, our FOIA request is focused on uncovering DOGE's actions to disrupt government agencies and their impact on the future of public lands.
Here's what we've done so far:
Preserving Environmental Data: We fought alongside other groups to push back against the Trump administration's attempts to destroy or delete critical environmental data.
Spotlighting Funding Freezes: We made broad requests to reveal the details about the funding freezes at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), and other key agencies, which were threatening critical environmental work.
Targeting DOGE and Musk's Disruptive Agenda: Our latest FOIA focuses on DOGE's efforts to undermine federal agencies, threatening the integrity of government functions and the future of public lands.
During the first Trump administration, we successfully exposed the dirty laundry of his appointees, forcing many of them out of office—most notably, Scott Pruitt's resignation as EPA Administrator, a direct result of our FOIA work.1
These FOIA requests are part of our broader strategy to hold the powerful accountable and protect public lands, wildlife, and communities. Just days ago, we filed a lawsuit to stop offshore drilling, and now we're taking action against DOGE and Elon Musk for dismantling critical government functions. This is one of many ways—including grassroots organizing and working at the state and local levels—that we're fighting back against the Trump administration's harmful actions.
But friend, we can't do it without you. Your support powers all of our efforts to expose the truth, fight the Trump White House and a hostile Congress, and protect the wild places we love. We've faced challenges before, and together, we are rising to meet this one.
