So, like, last year, the state of Vermont passed this big law aimed at making fossil fuel companies pay for all the damage caused by climate change. It was supposed to be a game-changer, you know? But guess what? The Trump administration wasn’t having it. They decided to sue Vermont to stop them from holding these companies accountable.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Burlington, and it’s not just Vermont that’s being targeted. Hawaii, Michigan, and New York State are also in the administration’s crosshairs for trying to do something about climate change. You’d think they’d be all about protecting the environment, but I guess not.
Vermont’s Climate Superfund Act was passed at the end of last year, and it basically says that oil companies knew for ages that their products were messing up the planet. So, according to the law, they should pay for all the damage caused by climate change and help Vermont deal with a warmer climate. Seems fair, right?
Even though Republican Governor Phil Scott didn’t actually sign the bill, he knew it was coming, and he warned that it would lead to some serious legal battles. “Taking on ‘Big Oil’ should not be taken lightly,” he said. But get this, the ones suing Vermont right now are not the oil companies, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the United States themselves.
The federal government is claiming that Vermont is trying to take away their power to regulate emissions. They’re saying that Vermont is getting in the way of developing American energy sources and that the costs of this law will be felt by people all over the country and even around the world. They’re calling it a “money-extraction scheme.” Sounds pretty intense, right?
The lawsuit conveniently leaves out the fact that Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement a while back and has been cutting funding and firing scientists left and right. It’s like he doesn’t want anyone to do anything about climate change. On top of that, he’s ordered the Attorney General to look into any state laws that address climate change. Not fishy at all, right?
Vermont’s Attorney General had a brief statement about the lawsuit, basically saying that she’s ready to fight for Vermont. On the other hand, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, which supported the law, had some harsh words for the president. They’re not happy about being sued for trying to protect their state.
A report from a few years ago showed that Vermont has been hit hard by disasters, with millions of dollars in damages. The state has seen at least 17 declared disasters, ranking fifth in the nation for per capita damages. That’s a lot of money per resident, if you ask me.
So, the fight is on between Vermont and the federal government. Who will come out on top? Only time will tell, I guess. But one thing’s for sure, this lawsuit is just the beginning of what’s sure to be a long and messy battle. And who knows what will happen next? Not me, that’s for sure.
