How New York state is defying Donald Trump’s plans to roll back climate action

New York Governor Kathy Hochul Sign landmark climate legislation became law last week, showing how states can continue to hold polluters accountable even if President-elect Donald Trump rolls back environmental protections.

new york Climate Change Superfund Act The largest multinational oil and gas companies will be asked to contribute to a fund that will be used for infrastructure projects aimed at protecting New York residents from increasingly dangerous climate hazards such as storms and rising sea levels.

Trump will be back in office soon, and Expected to repeal existing climate policies and Gut Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)publicly be belittled Clean energy and federal environmental regulations in the campaign. So for at least the next four years, Americans will have to rely on such local and state efforts to combat the fossil fuel pollution that drives climate change.

“New York has fired a shot that will be heard around the world: The companies most responsible for the climate crisis will be held accountable,” state Sen. Liz Krueger said in a statement. statement After Hochul signed the Climate Change Superfund Act into law.

Kruger’s office projects the law will generate $75 billion in revenue over the next 25 years. But in the near future, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will first have to come up with guidelines on how the fund will operate. These include rules for who must pay into the fund, how the state raises money and what types of infrastructure projects the fund will support. law It would apply to fossil fuel companies that have historically emitted more than 1 billion tons of greenhouse gases. At least 35% of the fund’s proceeds should benefit “disadvantaged” communities.

The plan is roughly modeled on state and federal Laws that have been in place for decades hold companies accountable toxic waste site They stayed. But New York’s new law will not use money to clean up hazardous materials at old industrial sites, but will fund disaster prevention projects such as upgrading storm drainage systems.

“New York taxpayers are 100 percent financially responsible for climate costs. Now, Big Oil will be responsible for their consequences,” Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), said in a statement. responsible for most of the losses. ” Press release.

According to NYPIRG, the Climate Change Superfund Act is expected to reduce New Yorkers’ future tax burden by $3 billion per year. Extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change are expected to cost New York $500 billion in preparation and recovery efforts by 2050, Krueger’s office said.

Joe Biden sets a Target As part of the United States’ commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by at least 50% by 2030 compared with 2005 pollution levels. He also signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. huge spending plan on hold $369 billion Climate action and clean energy technologies.

On the other hand, Trump said he would Withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement again (Biden did so briefly in his first term before bringing the U.S. back into compliance with the deal). The president-elect also said he would Withdraw any unspent funds From the Inflation Reduction Act. sheReview more than 100 environmental regulations When he was the last president, he said His choice for the E.P.A. This time it will be ensured that “Make quick decisions to deregulate“Again at the agency.

Still, state laws could make up for some of the losses in fighting climate change. New York’s climate Superfund bill must stand up to any test legal challengecertainly. But this isn’t the first time the state has enacted an ambitious environmental plan in the face of Trump’s hostility to climate action. 2019, New York State Pass the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. This puts the country in a path Cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 Progress is slow since then.

New York’s latest response to impending environmental deregulation is just part of a larger trend that began in Trump’s first term and promises to be part of his second. Earlier this year, passed by vermont Your own climate superfund law. Similar legislation has been introduced california, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jerseyand in congress, According to the nonprofit Food & Water Watch.