The Department of Justice accused the four states of overreach.
The Trump administration has taken legal action against the Democratic-led states of Hawaii, Michigan, Vermont, and New York over their climate-related actions, alleging that they interfere with federal authority and the country’s energy development, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“These burdensome and ideologically motivated laws and lawsuits threaten American energy independence and our country’s economic and national security,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a 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.”
The DOJ argued that the Clean Air Act has already created a comprehensive program for regulating air pollution in the United States.
Since the Clean Air Act puts the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in charge of setting nationwide standards, the states have violated federal law through their climate regulations, the DOJ said.
Hawaii and Michigan
The DOJ sued Hawaii and Michigan on April 30 in part in an attempt to block them from filing lawsuits against major gas and oil companies for alleged climate-related harms, according to the complaints.
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NTD, sister media of The Epoch Times, reached out to the governors’ offices and attorneys general’s offices for both states for a response to the DOJ’s legal action.
A spokesperson for Hawaii’s attorney general told NTD that officials are preparing a statement on the lawsuit that will be released soon and declined to provide further details. The other offices did not immediately respond to emailed requests.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the DOJ’s lawsuit “frivolous” in a 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,“ Nessel said. ”I remain undeterred in my intention to file this lawsuit the President and his Big Oil donors so fear.”
New York and Vermont
The DOJ challenged New York and Vermont over their climate “superfund” laws on May 1.
In May 2024, the Vermont Legislature passed its Climate Superfund Act, which allows the state to recover financial damages from fossil fuel companies for the alleged impacts of climate change in the state. The recovered funds would support climate adaptation projects, according to the state.
In December 2024, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that requires large fossil fuel companies to pay for infrastructure and other projects aimed at protecting residents.
The DOJ is seeking a declaration that these state laws are unconstitutional and an injunction against the enforcement of the states’ laws.
The offices of both attorneys general from New York and Vermont did not immediately respond to NTD’s requests for comment.
A spokeswoman for Hochul said in a statement: “Governor Hochul proudly signed the Climate Superfund Act because she believes corporate polluters should pay for the damage done to our environment—not everyday New Yorkers. We will not back down, not from Big Oil, and not from federal overreach.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From NTD News
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