Vt. leaders, environmental groups say Trump administration is assaulting climate protections

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) — An Earth Day rally at the Statehouse targeted what environmental groups are calling President Trump’s assault on climate change protections.

The administration recently directed the Department of Justice to stop enforcing state climate laws while taking aim at Vermont’s climate superfund law, which allows the state to recoup costs of extreme weather from fossil fuel companies.

Vermont leaders joined with environmental groups Tuesday to say that the efforts — along with proposed changes to the EPA — spell trouble for the climate.

“This is an abuse of our system. It’s an attack on civil society and that, I think, in many ways is the greatest threat to our work to protect the environment and the people of this country,” said Paul Burns with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

Vermont sued the administration 62 times during the president’s first term. About half were related to environmental executive orders.

Copyright 2025 WCAX. All rights reserved.