West Virginia sues New York over $75 billion climate superfund

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NEW YORK (Reuters) -West Virginia’s attorney general said on Thursday he has sued New York state over a new law requiring fossil fuel companies to contribute $75 billion over 25 years into a state fund that will pay for damage caused by climate change.

Attorney General John McCuskey, a Republican, called the law unconstitutional.

The New York law, signed by Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul on December 26, creates a “superfund” to shift the cost to mitigate climate change to oil, gas and coal companies from taxpayers.

Money would help build infrastructure such as roads, water systems and sewage systems to protect communities and coastlines from weather events such as extreme heat and flooding.

“We need to stay ahead of countries like China, India and Russia as they move forward with their coal and gas-fired power plants,” McCuskey, whose state is a major energy producer, said at a press conference.

“We’re not going to allow left-wing states like California, New York, Vermont to dictate to the American people how they’re going to get their electricity,” he added.

Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Vermont led the way among U.S. states in creating an industry-funded superfund to address climate change. Its law creating a superfund took effect last July.

West Virginia is a major energy producer, and ranks second among U.S. states in coal production according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

A traditionally Republican state, West Virginia was carried in the November election by President Donald Trump, who won 70% of the vote.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)