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New York climate and firearm laws face federal judicial setbacks
A federal judge has struck down New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act, a law designed to collect $75 billion from fossil fuel companies to fund climate adaptation infrastructure. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel ruled that the act is unconstitutional, finding that it intrudes on federal authority and is preempted by the Clean Air Act.
The ruling prevents the state from imposing strict liability on fossil fuel extractors and oil refiners based on greenhouse gas emissions attributed to their products between 2000 and 2024. The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency supported the challenge, arguing that the Clean Air Act grants the EPA sole authority to regulate such emissions.
In a separate legal development in New York, Senior U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby struck down a portion of the state’s “sensitive places” law. The ruling invalidated a restriction on carrying firearms in unsecured areas of airports, with the judge suggesting the state's broad firearm restrictions might not withstand Supreme Court scrutiny.
Additionally, major energy companies ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy are petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to block a climate-related lawsuit brought by officials in Boulder, Colorado. The case seeks to hold the companies liable for their role in driving climate change.
Entities
Clean Air Act · Environmental Protection Agency · New York · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation · P. Kevin Castel · U.S. Department of Justice · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · United States Department of Justice
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Climate Change Superfund Act was found to be preempted by the Clean Air Act. nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.gravel2gavel.com · www.thethinkingconservative.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Judge P. Kevin Castel struck down New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act. nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.gravel2gavel.com · www.thethinkingconservative.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Act aimed to collect $75 billion from fossil fuel companies over 25 years for climate adaptation projects. nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.gravel2gavel.com · www.thethinkingconservative.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Justice Department hailed the ruling as a step toward protecting American energy from state overreach. nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.thethinkingconservative.com