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.
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 lawsuit.
Hawaii’s Attorney General Anne Lopez told NTD in an emailed statement that it will move forward with its lawsuit against fossil fuel companies regardless of the DOJ’s legal action.
The state’s lawsuit names seven groups of affiliated fossil fuel companies and the American Petroleum Institute, the largest oil and gas trade association in the United States, according to the attorney general.
“We have an obligation to the people of Hawaiʻi, to do everything in our power to fight deceptive practices from these fossil fuel companies that erode Hawaiʻi’s public health, natural resources and economy,“ Lopez said. ”The federal lawsuit filed by the Justice Department attempts to block Hawaiʻi from holding the fossil fuel industry responsible for deceptive conduct that caused climate change damage to Hawaiʻi.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the DOJ’s lawsuit “frivolous” in a statement.
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 office of the attorney general from New York did not immediately respond to NTD’s request 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.”
Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark said she looked forward to representing Vermont in this case.
