DOJ sues blue states to block climate suits, laws
On Wednesday, the administration sued Michigan and Hawaii in an attempt to block them from suing fossil fuel companies over climate change.
On Thursday, the administration also sued New York and Vermont over their 'climate Superfund' laws — which require fossil fuel companies to pay for emissions stemming from their products.
The administration argued that it's up to the federal government — not states — to regulate climate pollution and that therefore these lawsuits are unconstitutional.
It made similar arguments in its cases against New York and Vermont, asking the courts to strike down their laws.
The moves come after President Trump in an executive order directed the Justice Department to target state and local climate policies.
'These burdensome and ideologically motivated laws and lawsuits threaten American energy independence and our country's economic and national security,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a written statement. 'The Department of Justice is working to 'Unleash American Energy' by stopping these illegitimate impediments to the production of affordable, reliable energy that Americans deserve.'
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) in a written statement described the lawsuit against her state as frivolous, noting that the state has yet to file a lawsuit — though it has been working on a case.
'As my office's anticipated lawsuit in this arena is not yet filed and our claims unknown to the administration—as conceded directly in their complaint— this lawsuit is at best frivolous and arguably sanctionable,' Nessel said.
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