Latest news with #climateSuperfund
The Hill
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
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.
The Hill
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump administration sues four blue states over climate suits, laws
The Trump administration has sued four Democratic-led states to try to block their climate-related lawsuits or laws. On Wednesday, the administration sued the states of Michigan and Hawaii in an attempt to block them from suing fossil fuel companies over climate change. On Thursday, it sued New York and Vermont over their ' climate Superfund ' laws — which require fossil fuel companies to pay for emissions stemming from their products. In lawsuits filed Wednesday, the Justice Department asked federal courts to permanently prevent Michigan and Hawaii from pursuing claims against fossil fuel companies. 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 Trump, in an executive order, directed the Justice Department to target state and local climate policies. Specifically, the order directs the attorney general to try to 'stop the enforcement of state laws and continuation of civil actions' that it determines are illegal. 'These burdensome and ideologically motivated laws and lawsuits threaten American energy independence and our country's economic and national security,' said Attorney General Pam Bondi 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) described the lawsuit against her state as frivolous in a written statement, 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 in a written statement. 'If the White House or Big Oil wish to challenge our claims, they can do so when our lawsuit is filed; they will not succeed in any attempt to preemptively bar our access to make our claims in the courts. I remain undeterred in my intention to file this lawsuit the President and his Big Oil donors so fear,' she added. Multiple states and localities have already filed lawsuits accusing major oil companies of deceiving the public on climate change — especially in the wake of reporting from 2015 that detailed decades of corporate evidence finding that the world was warming. The industry has argued that the suits are baseless and politically motivated — and that it provides an important product to consumers. The suits come as the Trump administration has repeatedly sought to downplay climate change's impacts and has indicated it would roll back numerous climate regulations. It also comes as the Environmental Protection Agency says it will reconsider its finding that climate change is a threat to the public.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump aims to shut down state climate policies
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday targeting states laws and regulations geared at combatting climate change. President Donald Trump has launched an all-out legal attack on states' authority to set climate change policy. His executive order, issued Tuesday, directs the Department of Justice to challenge a huge swath of state laws and regulations. The order aims at measures that seek to cut carbon emissions, penalize energy companies and limit drilling permits. It also targets state-led lawsuits against fossil fuel companies over the damages caused by climate change. Trump's directive orders Attorney General Pam Bondi to 'stop the enforcement' of any state laws related to climate change, including any that are seen as 'burdening' the use of domestic energy resources. Such language could include state laws that mandate a transition to clean electricity sources. The order specifically calls out 'climate Superfund' policies in Vermont and New York, which require fossil fuel companies to pay for some of the damages caused by climate change. It also targets California's cap-and-trade law, which places a limit on emissions through auctions of carbon credits. Wind and solar power opponents make headway in state legislatures While Trump's order says such state policies are unconstitutional, climate-focused state leaders say his administration has no legal basis to unravel their efforts. 'The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states' independent constitutional authority,' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, both Democrats, wrote in a joint statement from the U.S. Climate Alliance. 'We are a nation of states — and laws — and we will not be deterred.' Hochul and Lujan Grisham co-chair the alliance, a coalition of 24 governors focused on reducing emissions. Climate disasters are on the rise. These states want to make oil companies pay. Michael Gerrard, faculty director of Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, told Politico that the order is 'toothless.' '[Trump] has no authority on his own to nullify state laws,' he told the outlet. But the order throws the might of the federal government into a sprawling legal battle over states' authority to set climate policy and seek damages for disasters. It could force states to face expensive litigation and years of legal uncertainty. Trump-appointed judges on the U.S. Supreme Court and elsewhere have at times been hostile to environmental regulations. And it's unclear whether the order will have a chilling effect on state efforts to craft more climate legislation. Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at abrown@ Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@
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
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Red states sue New York over law making fossil fuel companies pay for disasters
A group of Republican attorneys general is suing New York over a state law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for extreme weather disasters. The 22 red states are suing New York over its 'climate Superfund' law, which could make companies pay $3 billion annually for the next 25 years. The law is modeled off of the federal Superfund law that allows the Environmental Protection Agency to recoup costs from companies that are responsible for hazardous waste sites. The suit argues that the law exceeds New York's constitutional authority, saying, 'The Founders recognized that certain categories of conduct are best regulated through nationwide rules.' '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. 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,' West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey said in a written statement. Besides West Virginia, the states suing are 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. They were joined by Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc., the West Virginia Coal Association, the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia and America's coal associations. When she signed the law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) argued that the actions of fossil fuel companies hurt New York residents. 'With nearly every record rainfall, heatwave, and coastal storm, New Yorkers are increasingly burdened with billions of dollars in health, safety, and environmental consequences due to polluters that have historically harmed our environment,' she said in a statement last year. 'Establishing the Climate Superfund is the latest example of my administration taking action to hold polluters responsible for the damage done to our environment and requiring major investments in infrastructure and other projects critical to protecting our communities and economy.' The Hill has reached out to New York's attorney general and the Department of Environmental Conservation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
