Trump administration sues Hawaii and Michigan to block planned lawsuits on climate change
The Trump administration sued Hawaii and Michigan in an attempt to prevent them from suing major oil companies for their role in climate changes. They accused the Democratic-led state of overreach, and threatening domestic energy production.
A lawsuit has not been filed by either state. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said to a local television station that Hawaii plans to sue fossil-fuel companies by Thursday. Last year, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel retained law firms in order to represent the state in climate-change litigation. In a lawsuit filed late Wednesday night in Hawaii and Michigan, the U.S. Justice Department said that the state's intended lawsuits would have an "extraterritorial impact" and undermine federal regulations on greenhouse gas emissions as well as the administration's goals for foreign policy. In recent years, a number of Democratic-led states filed similar lawsuits accusing companies such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Shell and BP of misleading the public regarding the role fossil fuels played in causing global warming.
The Justice Department's preemptive suits are a result of a promise made by Trump during his campaign for the 2024 elections to "stop frivolous lawsuits from environmental extremists." In both lawsuits, the Justice Department cited the executive order signed by the Republican President on his first day in office in January 20th declaring a "national energy emergency" to speed up permitting for energy projects and roll back environmental protections.
The Justice Department stated in its lawsuit that "as a consequence of state restrictions and burdens placed on energy production, American consumers are paying more and the United States has less ability to defend itself against hostile foreign actors."
The administration said that Hawaii and Michigan were blocking its efforts to increase the domestic energy supply.
The lawsuits stated that "the Constitution and laws of this nation do not permit such interference."
Requests for comment from Nessel's representatives and Hawaii Attorney General did not receive a response immediately.
In similar lawsuits, state and local governments accused energy companies for hiding from the public the fact that burning fossils fuels will lead to climate changes. The companies deny any wrongdoing.
After years of litigation, oil companies have fought to determine whether states can sue in state court rather than federal court. In March, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by 19 Republican-led state, led by Alabama to prevent five Democratic-led state from pursuing these lawsuits. The Republican-led state's claims were similar to those of the Justice Department. (Reporting and editing by Alexia Garamfalvi in Boston; Will Dunham, Franklin Paul, and Will Dunham).
(source: Reuters)
