Montana and 21 other state attorneys general are suing New York state to stop the state’s law that requires energy companies to pay for damage associated with climate change.
Montana and 21 other state attorneys general are suing New York state over a law passed in New York last year to create a Climate Change Superfund Act. Similar to other Superfund mechanisms, it would require some of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies to pay for the pollution and environmental degradation associated with their industry.
The money would go towards covering costs like the replacement or restoration of infrastructure to deal with natural disasters. Extreme weather events are becoming more severe, frequent, and lasting longer due to climate change.
But the 22 attorneys general say the law is unconstitutional and is overreaching, since the energy companies are based all over the world.
Many of the states involved in the suit have large fossil fuel producing industries.
Vermont has a Climate Superfund law like New York’s, and legislatures in California, New Jersey and Massachusetts have all introduced similar policies.
