Federal court rules New York climate superfund law preempted
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
A federal court held New York's Climate Superfund law preempted by federal law. Vermont is defending its own Climate Superfund law against a lawsuit from the Trump administration.
What happened
A federal court held New York's Climate Superfund law preempted by the federal Clean Air Act, according to a Jones Day analysis published in September 2026.
Vermont Public reported on 31 March 2026 that Vermont is defending its Climate Superfund law against a lawsuit brought by the Trump administration.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- Outcome not on recordChallenge to New York Climate Superfund lawUS federal court · Civil · Not named in the sources reviewed → Not named in the sources reviewed
A federal court held the New York law preempted by the federal Clean Air Act. The Jones Day analysis was published in September 2026. Jones Day
- OngoingLawsuit against Vermont Climate Superfund lawNot named in the sources reviewed · Civil · Trump administration → State of Vermont
Vermont is defending its law against the lawsuit, which was reported as ongoing in March 2026. Vermont Public
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Court
- Unclear Challenge to New York Climate Superfund law: outcome not on record.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: the US Justice Department sued New York and Vermont over these laws in April–May 2025.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: the New York law is reported at 75 billion dollars.
- None on record Who would pay under the laws, and how much, is not stated in the sources reviewed.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not state whether the federal ruling affects Vermont's law.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Company or project
- Jones Day: NY Climate Superfund preemptedJones Day · 2026-09
Press and investigations
- Vermont defends Climate SuperfundVermont Public · 2026-03-31
Connected cases
- Alaska's Tongass forest again proposed for exemption from roadless rule United States · 2020–2025
- Trump administration (US federal government) (Government) — here: Plaintiff in the lawsuit against Vermont's law; there: moving ahead with rescission of the national roadless rule
- GE ran a 'Let Nature Clean Up the Hudson' campaign against EPA dredging United States · 2009–2015
- State of New York (Government) — here: Law held preempted by a federal court (per Jones Day); there: Sued EPA in 2019 over the cleanup
- US moves to end 25-year-old Roadless Rule for national forests United States · 2026
- Trump administration (US federal government) (Government) — here: Plaintiff in the lawsuit against Vermont's law; there: proposed rescinding the Roadless Rule