The Trump administration has asked a federal judge to spike a lawsuit that challenges New York’s “Climate Change Superfund Act.” [emphasis, links added]
The law could impose $75 billion in liability on foreign and domestic energy companies for their alleged past contributions to climate change, according to a filing from the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
The complaint was filed in May, along with a complaint against the State of Vermont for its similar statute, to advance President Donald J. Trump’s executive order to protect American energy from state overreach.
“New York has declared war on those responsible for supplying our Nation with reliable and affordable energy, and it is trampling over federal law in the process.” Further, the motion says:
“[T]he Court should end New York’s lawless overreach by granting the United States’ motion for summary judgment, declaring the Superfund Act invalid and unenforceable, and permanently enjoining Defendants from taking any actions to implement or enforce it.”
The DOJ also sued Michigan in May.
Last year, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the state would sue oil companies for allegedly contributing to climate change.
The filing asked courts to stop imposing “crippling” penalties on the world’s largest energy providers, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD.
“Individual states have no authority to regulate nationwide and global greenhouse gas emissions. The courts must put a stop to New York’s brazen disregard of federal law, the Constitution, and binding precedent, not to mention our Nation’s energy needs.”
Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel John Adams and Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General Riley Walters of ENRD filed the motion.
Top image via Wisconsin Big Rigs/YouTube screencap. Consumers would be hurt the most as energy companies pass on the costs of blue state lawfare.
Read rest at Townhall
