A federal judge has struck down New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act, blocking the state from collecting $75 billion from fossil fuel companies to pay for projects addressing concerns the state attributed to climate change.
U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel ruled on Sept. 23 that New York’s law intruded on federal authority in multiple ways, including by regulating greenhouse gas emissions that cross state lines.
The law would have required large companies involved in fossil fuel extraction or crude oil refining to pay into a state fund over 25 years. Each company’s share would have been based on greenhouse gas emissions attributed to its products from 2000 through 2024. New York intended to use the money for infrastructure and other projects to help communities address issues the state blames on climate change. …