Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman files direct lawsuit against Trump Administration

by Leslie Salzillo
Tuesday Apr 04, 2017 · 11:46 AM PDT

In a press release this week, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced he has begun legal proceedings against the Trump Administration for “violating federal law by delaying energy efficiency standards for several common consumer and commercial products.” In his statement, Schneiderman says:

“We won’t hesitate to use the full force of our office to protect New Yorkers.”

Here is the full statement via AG.NY.Gov:

Attorney General Schneiderman Announces Lawsuit And Other Legal Action Against Trump Administration For Illegally Blocking Cost-Saving, Pollution-Cutting Energy Efficiency Standards

Coalition Takes Action Against Trump DOE For Violating Federal Law By Obstructing Implementation Of Energy Efficiency Standards For Common Consumer And Commercial Products

These Common Sense Standards Would, Over Time, Save Consumers And Businesses Approximately $24 Billion, Provide Energy Savings Equivalent To The Annual Electricity Consumption Of 36 Million Households, And Eliminate Millions Of Tons Of Air Pollution

Schneiderman: We Won't Hesitate To Use The Full Force Of Our Office To Protect New Yorkers

NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, leading a state and municipal coalition, today announced that he is commencing legal action against the Trump Administration for violating federal law by delaying energy efficiency standards for several common consumer and commercial products - such as ceiling fans, portable air conditioners, walk-in coolers and freezers, commercial boilers, and more.

The six standards being blocked by the Trump Administration offer dramatic air pollution reductions, as well as energy- and cost-savings to consumers and businesses. According to federal Department of Energy (“DOE”) estimates, the standards would combine to eliminate emissions of 292 million tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, 734 thousand tons of the pollution that creates soot and smog, 1.2 million tons of the potent climate change pollutant methane, and over 1,000 pounds of highly-toxic mercury, over a 30 year period.

Over this same period, the Appliance Standard Awareness Project estimates that the efficiency standards would together save over 443 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity – the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of over 36 million households. The DOE itself estimates that the six standards would provide net savings to consumers and businesses of approximately $23.8 billion.

"Energy efficiency standards are vital to public health, our environment, and consumers. This is yet another example of how the Trump administration’s polluter-first energy policy has real and harmful impacts on the public health, environment – and pocketbooks – of New Yorkers,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “By blocking these common sense standards, the administration is reversing progress in cleaning the air we breathe and fighting climate change – and denying consumers and businesses some $24 billion in savings. I will continue to use the full force of my office to compel the Trump administration to live up to its obligations to the law and the people of New York.”

Attorney General Schneiderman and the coalition charge that the Trump DOE is violating both the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (“EPCA”) and Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”) in the following ways:

delaying the effective date of final energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans.
stalling the final standards for compressors, walk-in coolers and freezers, power supply equipment, portable air conditioners, and commercial boilers, by failing to publish them in the Federal Register.

Joining Attorney General Schneiderman in the lawsuit regarding ceiling fans are the Attorneys General of the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the City of New York. The same coalition, plus the Attorney General of Maryland, are joining Attorney General Schneiderman in sending a 60-day notice regarding the other standards.

The DOE published new energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans as a final rule on January 19, 2017, with an effective date for the rule of March 20, 2017. However, the Trump Administration has subsequently delayed the rule’s effective date twice – most recently pushing it back to September 30, 2017 – asserting that stalling the standards was a non-substantive action, and that seeking public input on the delay would be “impractical, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest.”

Go read the whole thing.. there is lots .. ;)
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/4/4/1650163/-NY-Attorney-General-Eric-Schneiderman-files-lawsuit-against-Trump-Administration

his entire presidency will be spent in court or he'll drop things .. he will have no choice .. .. oh say... when are they starting on that fence . ? .. .. did we buy land in Mexico to build it yet ?