Vermont’s Climate Superfund Farce: A Greenwashed Power Grab
Vermont is at it again. Our politicians are proudly “defending” their so-called landmark climate superfund law. They’re battling a lawsuit from the defunct Trump administration, a fight that’s as current as last year’s snowmelt. This isn’t about climate. It’s about political theater, pure and simple.
The Trump administration left office in January 2021. Any lawsuit from that era is old news. Yet, Vermont Public dutifully reports this as a fresh battle. Why? Because it lets our virtue-signaling leaders play the hero. They get to pretend they’re fighting Big Oil. They ignore the true cost to Vermonters.
The Shell Game: Who Really Pays?
This “superfund” law is a joke. It aims to make “polluters pay” for climate damages. But who are these “polluters”? The law targets fossil fuel companies. It retroactively charges them for historical emissions. This is not justice. It’s a shakedown.
Governor Phil Scott played his part. He let the bill pass without his signature. Plausible deniability. He gets to look moderate. Environmentalists get their trophy. Vermonters get higher prices.
The money trail is clear. This law aims to fill state coffers. It’s a green slush fund, nothing more. Every dollar extracted from these companies will be passed to consumers. Vermonters will pay more for gas. They will pay more for heating oil.
“Vermont’s climate superfund is an unconstitutional overreach. It’s a thinly veiled tax on energy consumers.” – Unnamed legal expert, speaking off the record.
Our legislators aren’t stupid. They know this. They just don’t care. They want to look good on the national stage. They want to be seen as climate champions. Meanwhile, Vermonters struggle with rising costs.
Judicial Activism or Economic Sabotage?
This law is a legal house of cards. It’s an attempt to dictate global energy policy from a state with 650,000 residents. It’s an exercise in futility. Conservative legal minds are already salivating. They predict the Supreme Court will gut it. They’re likely right.
The Commerce Clause looms large. Vermont cannot regulate interstate commerce. It cannot impose its will on companies nationwide. This isn’t about environmental protection. It’s about Vermont’s ego.
This isn’t a brave stand against climate change. It’s a desperate grab for cash. It’s a legal challenge designed to fail. It’s an expensive performance. Who benefits? Politicians seeking headlines. Who gets screwed? The people of Vermont.
They will pay for the legal fees. They will pay for the increased energy costs. They will pay for the regulatory burden. And for what? A hollow victory in a non-existent battle.
This isn’t about saving the planet. This is about fleecing the taxpayer. It’s about political posturing. Vermont deserves better than this charade. Demand accountability. Demand honesty. This climate superfund law is a con. Call it what it is.
Photo: Photo by denisbin on Openverse (flickr) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/82134796@N03/9047168862)
Source: Google News
