• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home Science & Environment Environmental Policies

WA prepares to defend climate policies against Trump’s latest order

April 11, 2025
in Environmental Policies
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
0
Research illuminates growing extinction threat for southern resident orcas
8
SHARES
17
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Climate Lab is a Seattle Times initiative that explores the effects of climate change in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The project is funded in part by The Bullitt Foundation, CO2 Foundation, Jim and Birte Falconer, Mike and Becky Hughes, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, University of Washington and Walker Family Foundation, and its fiscal sponsor is the Seattle Foundation.

President Donald Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday to find ways to block climate laws across the country, putting Washington in his crosshairs once more.

The executive order comes as the latest example of Trump’s willingness to impose his will on states and cities moving in the opposite direction. In this case, he’s targeting governments wanting to cut greenhouse gas emissions, guard against the worsening effects of climate change or protect especially vulnerable people from disasters.

Washington’s Climate Commitment Act and Clean Energy Transformation Act fit the description; though state officials say they’re prepared to defend against attacks from the federal government.

“These State laws and policies are fundamentally irreconcilable with my Administration’s objective to unleash American energy,” Trump wrote in his order. “They should not stand.”

Instead, Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to expand the country’s reliance on coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels that churn greenhouse gases into the environment, exacerbating the effects of climate change, which are already being felt across the world.

In doing so, Trump is brushing aside decades of climate science in the name of energy and economic domination. But the order likely doesn’t hold any water, legally speaking, attorneys say. Others called it flat-out illegal.

The executive order

Trump’s order specifically tells Bondi to target state and local laws surrounding “‘climate change’ or involving ‘environmental, social, and governance’ initiatives, ‘environmental justice’, carbon or ‘greenhouse gas’ emissions and funds to collect carbon penalties or taxes.”

Within 60 days, the attorney general must then submit a report recommending how to kill the laws.

That’s a broad directive. It mentions a few examples specifically, including New York and Vermont requiring polluters to pay for state climate adaptation, and California’s carbon market.

Washington isn’t specifically mentioned but the 2021 Climate Commitment Act created a carbon market and requires the state’s top polluters to buy allowances for the greenhouse gases they emit. The state is now trying to link its program with the joint market between California and the Canadian province of Quebec.

Washington’s climate policies

The 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act could also be targeted. That law requires the state to free its electrical grid of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

The president’s potential attack on the CCA is the latest in a long line of challenges to the policy. Already the state’s carbon market has survived several serious lawsuits, and in November 62% of voters sided with the policy over a repeal effort. Mike Faulk, a spokesperson for state Attorney General Nick Brown, said the office is studying Trump’s order and is prepared to defend Washington’s climate laws against “any and all challenges.”

Former state Sen. Joe Nguyễn, who now directs Washington’s Department of Commerce, called Trump’s order a distraction from the problems at hand, including the growing electrical demand and rush to add more renewable power sources.

“I’d be much happier if my job was focused on building housing and energy,” Nguyễn said. “Not reacting to unnecessary executive orders that cause huge disruptions in our community for political gain.” 

Without congressional authority, the federal government can’t override state laws, Nguyễn said.

Others piled on, criticizing Trump’s order.

Washington — like the rest of the world — is already suffering from climate change and its broadly supported laws are designed to protect its future, said Alyssa Macy, CEO of Washington Conservation Action and a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Oregon.

“This executive order isn’t worth more than the paper it’s written on because Washington has a fundamental right to ensure its citizens have clean air and water and to hold polluters accountable,” Macy said.

“Pure intimidation”

Maggie Coulter, a senior attorney for the environmental nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, called Trump’s order unconstitutional in an email. There’s no “legal punch” behind the move, she said.

“It’s pure intimidation at a time when states are leading the charge on enacting new ‘polluter pays’ legislation” like those in New York and Vermont, Coulter said. 

Twice already the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to weigh in on attempts to kill claims against fossil fuel companies, giving more weight to existing legislation, Coulter added.

While an outright legal victory seems unlikely for Trump, said Aseem Prakash, a political scientist with the University of Washington, the administration might still benefit from tying states and cities up in lengthy and expensive legal battles. Similar to his recent capitulation on global tariffs, Trump could still claim victory, he said.

“This is all about politics and posturing,” Prakash said. “It’s not about results.” 

Trump could still withhold federal funding for states and cities with these climate policies, Prakash said. He’s already made a practice out of the approach.

All this could backfire, though.

As states see their budgets battered by climate change (Trump is also slashing federal disaster recovery money), the prospect of forcing polluters to pay for damage is growing, Coulter said. 

Now in its third year, Washington’s carbon market is up and running with nearly full participation from major polluters and has raised more than $2 billion for climate projects across the state. Over time, the state will ratchet down the quantity of emissions these polluters are allowed to churn out each year, thereby reducing their dependence on fossil fuels.

Also, climate change is a popular issue across the country, Prakash said. Trump’s ongoing attacks on such popular policies are likely to consolidate Democratic opposition.

And there’s no shortage of people and politicians willing to emerge as climate heroes in the Trump era, Prakash said.

Seattle Times reporter Isabella Breda contributed to this report.

Conrad Swanson: 206-464-3805 or cswanson@seattletimes.com. Conrad covers climate change and its intersection with environmental and political issues.

Tags: ClimateDefendlatestorderpoliciespreparesTrumps
Previous Post

Medical complexity seen in 12% of military-connected children

Next Post

The Top Ten Environmentalist Myths

Related Posts

Maine appliance efficiency bill heads to governor’s desk

Maine appliance efficiency bill heads to governor’s desk

May 30, 2025
8
Going to the beach for spring break? Here’s what you should know

Representatives urge more funding to make our beaches safe for swimming

May 30, 2025
3
Next Post
earth wind crops

The Top Ten Environmentalist Myths

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Dishonest reporting kills: DC antisemitic murders are a wake up call

Dishonest reporting kills: DC antisemitic murders are a wake up call

May 30, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz labors into French Open 4th round; Ben Shelton next todayheadline

May 30, 2025
A person being inspected at a control checkpoint.

Why 908 Devices Stock Rocketed More Than 18% Higher This Week todayheadline

May 30, 2025

Leading Independent Proxy Advisor ISS Recommends Sherritt Shareholders Vote FOR All Resolutions and Director Nominees todayheadline

May 30, 2025

Recent News

Dishonest reporting kills: DC antisemitic murders are a wake up call

Dishonest reporting kills: DC antisemitic murders are a wake up call

May 30, 2025
5

Carlos Alcaraz labors into French Open 4th round; Ben Shelton next todayheadline

May 30, 2025
4
A person being inspected at a control checkpoint.

Why 908 Devices Stock Rocketed More Than 18% Higher This Week todayheadline

May 30, 2025
4

Leading Independent Proxy Advisor ISS Recommends Sherritt Shareholders Vote FOR All Resolutions and Director Nominees todayheadline

May 30, 2025
4

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Cybersecurity
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Dishonest reporting kills: DC antisemitic murders are a wake up call

Dishonest reporting kills: DC antisemitic murders are a wake up call

May 30, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz labors into French Open 4th round; Ben Shelton next todayheadline

May 30, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co