Green Communism: Vermont Becomes First State to Officially Punish Oil Companies
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Vermont is going above and beyond to ensure it’s the most unfriendly state to the American oil industry with a new law that will require companies to “pay for the impacts of climate change.”
The Climate Superfund Act was passed by the state House on May 7 by a strong 94-38 majority, but just shy of a supermajority in the deep-blue state, per The Hill.
The outlet also noted that Vermont has become the first to enact such legislation.
The bill intends to look all the way back to 1995 for potential environmental damage caused by oil companies and force financial penalties for the damage in the form of taxation.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott allowed the act to become law without his signature, releasing a statement about his concerns.
He opened by condemning the state legislature for not working with other states like New York and California that are passing similar legislation.
As The Hill noted, the New York State Senate passed an extremely similar bill in early May, though it’s seeing resistance in the general assembly.
Scott found it foolish that “Vermont – one of the least populated states with the lowest GDP in the country – has decided to recover costs associated with climate change on its own.”
“Taking on ‘Big Oil’ should not be taken lightly,” he continued. “And with just $600,000 appropriated by the Legislature to complete an analysis that will need to withstand intense legal scrutiny from a well-funded defense, we are not positioning ourselves for success.”
Unfortunately, the Republican didn’t go as far as condemning the very purpose of the act, instead opting to agree with its purpose partially.
Scott said he “understand[s] the desire to seek funding to mitigate the effects of climate change that has hurt our state in so many ways.”
The governor demonstrated he had completely fallen for the propaganda put forth by liberals surrounding climate change.
Forcing companies to pay extra taxes, especially for acts that date back decades, is not some pro-environment stance, as they paint it.
It’s just the government over-extending its reach and using the guise of “justice” to cover it up. How is this any different than, say, communist China wantonly punishing an entity that it has deemed to be “bad” with little more justification than “We feel like it”?
The fact that Vermont intends to leverage taxes for nearly 30 years of action is especially concerning.
Will individuals in the future owe extra taxes in these states for how many years they owned a car?
This retroactive activism is especially concerning as the goalpost is constantly moving with liberals surrounding the issue of the environment.
None of that has even considered how this will heavily hurt Vermont’s oil and gas industry, which is hardly thriving as it is under the Biden administration.
While the Democrats in the state may be patting themselves on the back today like all communists are wont to do, but the only thing they’ve secured for the Green Mountain State is a far worse future.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
