DOJ Suits Attempt to Deter States from Taking Climate Action

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Justice sued multiple states today in a brazen attempt to prevent or intimidate them from addressing climate policy, representing the latest of a long line of giveaways the administration has lavished on the fossil fuels industry.

Following is a reaction from Michael Wall, chief litigation officer at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

"This is the latest heavy-handed example of the Trump administration putting its thumb on the scale in favor of the fossil fuels industry. The cases run afoul of state authority that is guaranteed under the Constitution and multiple federal laws. States have rights, whether the Trump administration agrees with their policies or not.

"Claiming an energy emergency does not eliminate the massive public health and economic impacts of the actual climate emergency, which is impacting communities across the United States right now. The Department of Justice should be suing the corporate polluters that are poisoning our communities rather than suing states trying to protect their own residents from polluters."

Background:

For more information, read David Doniger’s blog on the President’s flawed “state overreach” executive order and Manish Bapna’s reaction to the “Energy Emergency” executive order. 

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).