In a reversal of sorts, New Mexico and three other states filed suit this week against the Trump administration over the President’s decision to restart the sale of coal leases on federal lands.
When it comes to environmental issues, it has been Republican Attorneys General who went to court in the past several years against the Obama administration.
But this time, Democratic attorneys generals from California, New York and Washington state joined New Mexico in filing suit. They contend President Trump’s decision to reverse the Obama-era block of the l easing program was reversed without studying what’s best for the environment and for taxpayers.
“Climate change has to be considered when we are talking about compensating states and New Mexico citizens for their resources,” said Cholla Khoury, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas’ director of consumer and environmental protection. “They didn’t follow the law. You can’t make piecemeal changes without doing this assessment to fully understand all parts of this program.”
The lawsuit was filed in Great Falls, Montana claiming the President’s reversal was made “with no justification other than an objection to the time and cost of complying with the law.”