The fossil fuel industry, i.e. oil and gas, is under continued attack from aggressive climate laws created by such states as Vermont and others who are targeting oil and gas operations—-so contend five Republican Attorneys General who attended the annual meeting of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association held last week.
Vermont is the state targeted by several GOP attorneys general, including Oklahoma’s Gentner Drummond who filed suit, as OK Energy Today reported earlier this week. The lawsuit was supported by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in a Tuesday vote.
Vermont adopted the Act in 2024. The law allows the state to hold fossil fuel companies financially liable for the negative impacts of climate change. New York followed with a similar law later in 2024.
One of those on hand for the conference in Alaska was J.B. McCuskey, attorney general of West Virginia, who led the original lawsuit challenging Vermont’s Climate Super Fund Actt.
“I think that the group of people that are on this panel are all united in making sure that all of the expertise in all of our offices are being utilized to make sure that this doesn’t keep going, because it’s very, very dangerous.”
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Louisiana AG LizMurrill, attorney general Marty Jackley of South Dakota and then-attorney general of Alaska, Treg Taylor joined him on the panel as they discussed their concerns of lawsuits from states and local governments. The five said the lawsuits could result in financial penalties against oil and gas companies accused of contributing to disasters linked to climate change.
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