The Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated lawsuits against four Democrat-led states—Hawaii, Michigan, New York, and Vermont—alleging that their climate laws undermine U.S. energy independence and national security. These legal actions follow President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14260, aimed at countering state laws that hinder domestic energy development. The lawsuits target New York and Vermont's 'climate superfund' laws, which impose significant liabilities on fossil fuel companies for climate change contributions, and argue that these laws are unconstitutional, violating the federal Clean Air Act and overstepping state authority. Hawaii and Michigan are also being sued to prevent them from pursuing litigation against fossil fuel companies for historical climate damages in state courts. The DOJ's broader objective is to protect American energy production from what it sees as unlawful state overreach that could impair the country's energy production capabilities and national security interests.

The DOJ, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has filed lawsuits against Hawaii, Michigan, New York, and Vermont, challenging their state climate policies as unconstitutional and a threat to U.S. energy independence.

These legal actions are in response to President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14260, which aims to protect American energy from state regulations that burden domestic energy development.

New York and Vermont's newly enacted 'climate superfund' laws, which hold fossil fuel companies liable for climate change, are key targets of the DOJ's lawsuits, as they seek $75 billion in damages and are deemed to infringe on federal powers.

The DOJ argues that these state laws are preempted by the federal Clean Air Act and violate constitutional principles, as they impose penalties on companies for activities that are not within the states' regulatory authority.

The lawsuits against Hawaii and Michigan aim to stop these states from pursuing court actions against fossil fuel companies for past climate damages, which the DOJ claims would place unconstitutional burdens on energy producers.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson stated that these state regulations harm the nation's ability to produce energy and potentially benefit adversaries by constraining domestic energy output.

The DOJ seeks federal court rulings to declare these state laws unconstitutional and to prevent their enforcement, thus ensuring the protection of American economic and national security interests.