Vt. climate change laws caught in crosshairs of Trump executive order

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) — A new executive order handed down by the Trump administration puts Vermont’s climate change laws in the crosshairs.

It’s part of the president’s goal to make America more energy-dominant.

The order, released Tuesday, aims to boost the struggling coal industry and also requires the U.S. attorney general to take action against states like Vermont with laws on greenhouse gas emissions.

It says many state and local governments, including Vermont, extort energy producers for alleged past contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.

Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark says should the order result in action against the state, it’s an overreach of power.

“We are sovereign states with our own rights and the federal government can’t step on those rights. What we have unfortunately seen repeatedly is that some of these executive orders and actions taken by the Trump administration involve a stepping on those rights,” said Clark, D-Vt. Attorney General.

The executive order would likely target Vermont’s adoption of the climate superfund, which allows the state to recover financial damages from fossil fuel companies for the impacts of climate change. The state has already faced lawsuits over it.

Clark says her office will monitor the actions set forth in the order and respond appropriately.

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