Latest news with #ClimateSuperfundAct
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The climate superfund and protecting the health of our kids
Sen. Raj Mukherji speaks at a rally in Trenton on Sept. 30, 2024, in support of the Climate Superfund Act, which would require fossil fuel firms to pay for economic damages borne of climate change. (Courtesy of Food & Water Watch) I have spent the last 10 years working with thousands of wonderful health professionals in New Jersey and across the country who are speaking out about climate change and health. One problem most people recognize is the obvious (and predicted) increase in the frequency and severity of flooding, wildfires, and heat waves. Lately, medical colleagues from the Carolinas to California tell us stories about how flooding and wildfires are slamming their patients. Over the years, I have heard too many stories about people hurt in storms, children with asthma suffering severe respiratory effects from wildfire smoke, and older people having heart attacks brought on by heat waves — three among many more frightening, sometimes deadly, predicted health impacts. From Hurricane Sandy to the wildfire smoke of 2023, it's abundantly clear that New Jersey will also not escape the reality of climate science. Unfortunately, there is a second category of major health concern here. Public health professionals focus on the phrase 'social determinants of health.' These are defined as: 'the conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect virtually all health and quality-of life outcomes.' The most obvious examples are, again, the severe weather events that tear up roads and bridges, prevent the shipment and delivery of goods, overrun our water treatment plants, destroy farmers' fields, wipe out crops, and on and on. The full costs imposed on society for all this — including medical costs — are going through the roof. The nexus of economic loss and damage to the social determinants of health is irrefutably growing. If you don't believe that idea is true, consider the cost to protect your home. Across this country, home insurance costs are skyrocketing. Big insurers like State Farm, Allstate, and Farmers are no longer offering home insurance in entire states. This problem is spreading quickly, including in New Jersey. The physicians, nurses, veterinarians, and other health professionals within Clinicians for Climate Action New Jersey have front-row seats to this slowly unfolding crisis. In these seats, you can't miss that the cost to New Jerseyans will be beyond staggering. Meanwhile, as countless court cases are demonstrating, including from New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, fossil fuel companies have understood for decades the harm their products would do to the environment, leading to these devastating health harms. The fossil fuel industry misled the public, denied the realities of climate change, and obstructed efforts to decrease its impact. At the same time, fossil fuel companies continue to bring in record profits. The CEO of Chevron said, 'In 2023, we returned more cash to shareholders and produced more oil and natural gas than any year in the company's history.' What can New Jersey do? Last year, New Jersey legislators began to consider a new idea: the creation of a 'Climate Superfund.' This initiative mirrors laws that have passed in New York and Vermont, with other states on the same path. The idea is simple: Given the vast costs that New Jersey has spent already on climate change damage, it is only fair that fossil fuel companies share those costs. Funds collected by the state would be spent on essential climate resilience projects, including infrastructure improvements, disaster preparedness, health initiatives, and more. This is a fair, commonsense step toward protecting our state's financial stability and the health of our communities. This is taxpayer relief. Beloved New Jersey baseball icon Yogi Berra once said, 'The future ain't what it used to be.' He was right. If we don't stick to our commitments, our children and grandchildren will rightfully resent the future we are leaving them. New Jersey was a leader in passing the Spill Act in 1976 to hold polluters responsible for toxic pollution sites, which led to the passage of the national Superfund program. A generation later, it's time for New Jersey to lead to hold climate polluters accountable. Dan Quinlan is the co-leader of the Clinicians for Climate Action New Jersey. CCANJ's mission is to promote clean energy initiatives and programs that will protect public health and reduce the impacts of climate change on New Jersey's communities.
Boston Globe
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
It's time to make the polluters pay the price for climate change
Recent exposés of internal documents show that these Big Oil companies have long understood with Instead of finding new business models or at least warning the public and government officials, these companies conspired to wage a massive disinformation campaign to prevent regulators, investors, and consumers from understanding the risks their products were creating. And now regular people are Advertisement That's not fair. The companies that created this mess should help pay to clean it up. That's exactly what the Someone will have to pay for the climate harms and extreme weather disasters our communities are already facing, and that we will continue to experience with growing regularity and lethality in the coming years. Advertisement Should all of that burden be borne by working families and local businesses? Or should the corporations that made By supporting the Climate Superfund Act, Rhode Island lawmakers would ensure that at least some of the costs of climate change fall on those most responsible. Rhode Islanders have already paid too much for Big Oil's reckless conduct. It's time to make the polluters pay. Aaron Regunberg is a former Rhode Island state representative and director of the Climate Accountability Project at Public Citizen. Cassidy DiPaola is a native Rhode Islander and director at the Make Polluters Pay campaign.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hochul approves more natural gas pumping to meet cold-weather demand despite NY's green push – and Con Ed's proposed hikes
So much for that green new spiel. Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration — facing the heat over Con Edison's proposed double-digit gas and electric hikes — is stepping up gas production that flies in the face of New York's controversial green energy law. The administration approved permits to expand the capacity of the 414-mile Iroquois pipeline and pump more natural gas into New York City and southern Connecticut in a move to maintain adequate supply during the coldest days of the year — and avoid freezeouts. The state Department of Environmental Conservation approved the permits even though it admitted it's 'inconsistent with and would interfere with the statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits' as deviating from the plan to ween the Empire State off fossil fuels sent environmental activists infto a frenzy. 'The natural gas system could fail under certain circumstances,' said John Howard, a former commissioner of the state Public Service Commission, which regulated utilities. 'Safety and reliability can't be compromised.' The DEC permits approve expansions to the Iroquois pipeline's compressor stations in Athens, and Dover Plains, both in the Hudson Valley — to boost the gas capacity to Con Ed and National Grid in the city. A DEC spokesperson called the permits 'essential' to maintain the downstate gas supply. 'As a condition of the permits, Iroquois will invest $5 million in mitigation efforts to address greenhouse gas emissions and make investments to reduce environmental burdens within disadvantaged communities, such as a heat pump program and EV charging stations,' the spokesperson said. 'This investment is in addition to other measures Iroquois will implement to minimize emissions.' The permit approval comes with $3.5 million to be invested in a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Fund for projects in the National Grid and Con Edison service areas — and another $1.5 million for programs for electric vehicle charging stations and other environmental measures in the Dover and Athens area. Still, climate change activists disrupted a PSC meeting last week to protest the gas supply expansion, as flouting the state's green energy goals and harmful to the environment and public health. 'The Iroquois Pipeline, one of New York's most notorious fossil fuel projects, transports fracked gas from the Canadian border downstate into New York City,' the Sane Energy Project said in a statement. 'Hochul's approval will double two gas compressor stations in Greene and Dutchess counties despite emitting toxic chemicals linked to respiratory diseases, reproductive issues, and cancer.' Hochul's office claimed the ramping up does not conflict with her clean energy goals. 'From signing the Climate Superfund Act to investing $1 billion in clean energy projects in this year's budget, Governor Hochul has demonstrated a clear commitment to an affordable and reliable transition to a clean energy economy,' said spokesman Paul DeMichele. 'Projects like this one are thoroughly evaluated to advance that goal while also ensuring the safety and reliability of our energy distribution systems.' National Grid/KeySpan said natural gas provides more than 70% of New York's heat energy while Con Ed says 63% of its electricity through its lines is generated by gas. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 requires the state and its energy producers and consumers to ween off fossil fuels by slashing gas emissions by 40% by 2030 with the goal of achieving 100% zero-carbon-emission electricity by 2040. The green governor and the Democratic-led legislature have also banned gas stoves, furnaces and propane heating in new buildings and, in December, she extended the state's fracking ban by prohibiting a new technique to use carbon dioxide to extract natural gas. But the DEC this time sided with a priority of making sure there's enough gas delivered during an arctic cold spell — so that the heat stays on and customers don't freeze as was almost the case in 2022, when Winter Storm Elliott had city residents facing bone-chilling 10 degree temperatures. Con Edison and National Grid 'were barely able to provide adequate supply during Winter Storm Elliot until the temperatures increased, and weather improved,' a PSC report backing the expansion revealed. 'Had the weather been colder, the utilities would likely have been unable to avoid thousands and potentially millions of gas outages,' said the report. 'The Winter Storm Elliott event thus demonstrates the risks associated with over-reliance on CNG [compressed natural gas].' The PSC emphasized the need to diversify and expand the utilities' gas supply resources into the downstate region to maintain safety and reliability, even as 'state and local actions reduce demand pressures on the system over time.' The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a report in 2023 recommending the need for New York and other Northeast to bolster their gas energy infrastructure. The action comes amid outrage over Con Edison's request to jack up electric bills by 11.4% and send gas bills soaring 13.3% for its 3.6 million customers. ConEd's proposed rate hikes would cost some inflation-weary New Yorkers $1,848 more per year compared to five years ago, if approved.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Attorney General Coleman announces lawsuit over New York climate tax
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Attorney General Russell Coleman announced the filing of a multistate lawsuit challenging New York's Climate Superfund Act. AG Coleman says the act will put a tax on American energy producers and job creators. AG Coleman joined a 22-state coalition to 'protect' Kentucky's 'affordable and reliable' energy production. New York's law could impose $75 billion of liability on energy producers that use fossil fuels by requiring them to pay into that state's 'climate Superfund' based on past greenhouse gas emissions from 2000 through 2018. Gov. Beshear signs tax cut bill 'For generations, Kentucky workers and energy producers kept the lights on and powered this country's greatness. Now, New York wants to punish us with a politically motivated tax that will drive up utility prices and endanger Kentucky jobs,' said Attorney General Coleman. 'They can try to disparage us as 'flyover country,' but my two dozen AG colleagues and I are going to fight this outrageous tax with everything we've got.' Jasper kids meet legislators to propose the persimmon as state fruit AG Coleman's office says the lawsuit shows how the law will be devastating to traditional energy producers, including coal producers in Kentucky, leaving them with no other option than to cease operations, resulting in massive job losses. Proceeds from New York's Superfund are earmarked for 'climate change projects,' including such things as improvements to New York's storm water drainage system and air-conditioning of its public buildings. The coalition is asking the court to, among other things, issue an injunction and declare the Act preempted by federal statutes. The lawsuit can be viewed below. Final-Superfund-ComplaintDownload 'Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
McCuskey leads multistate lawsuit against New York's Climate Superfund Act
Feb. 7—charleston — West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey said Thursday he is leading a coalition of 22 attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging New York State's Climate Superfund Act, a recently signed state law that McCuskey said attack's America's energy suppliers. The New York Act could impose $75 billion of liability on major fossil fuel companies by requiring them to pay into a state "climate Superfund" based on their past greenhouse gas emissions. McCuskey said the Climate Superfund Act incorrectly punishes a group of energy producers for global greenhouse gases emitted from all sources into the atmosphere from 2000 to 2018. McCuskey said New York relied on coal, oil and natural gas during that time, keeping the lights on for New York City's iconic skyscrapers and beyond. "The iconic New York City skyline was built with the blood, sweat and labor of the men and women of our coalfields — from the steel in their skyscrapers, down to the electricity they use every day," McCuskey said. "The level of ungratefulness from the elites in New York for the sacrifices that continue to be made to give them the lavish lifestyle they enjoy is beyond the pale. This lawsuit is to ensure that these misguided policies, being forced from one state onto the entire nation, will not lead America into the doldrums of an energy crisis, allowing China, India and Russia to overtake our energy independence." The lawsuit points out the law will be devastating to traditional energy producers, including coal producers in West Virginia, leaving them with no other option than to cease operations, resulting in massive job losses. "This law is unconstitutional, and I am proud to lead this coalition of attorneys general and brave private energy companies and industry groups in our fight to protect against this overreach," McCluskey added. "If we allow New York to get away with this, it will only be a matter of time before other states follow suit — wrecking our nation's power grid."Proceeds from New York's Superfund are earmarked for "climate change projects" like storm water systems, road and transit projects and wetland restoration. The civil lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York Albany Division, lists New York Attorney General Letitia James, Interim Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Sean Mahar and Acting Tax Commissioner (New York State Department of Taxation and Finance) Amanda Hiller as defendants. The coalition is asking the court to, among other things, issue an injunction and declare the Act preempted by federal statutes. Joining McCuskey in the lawsuit are attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Inc., the West Virginia Coal Association, the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia and America's Coal Associations are also joining in the fight.
