Combatting Climate Change

Dear Friend:

Whether you live in Monroe County, Manhattan, or Montauk, you’ve probably noticed the impact of climate change on your community. Major storms—along with the flooding and the damage they cause—cost taxpayers billions in rebuilding costs, while the pollutant emissions that give rise to climate change are presenting a clear and present danger to our health and environment and to our children and grandchildren. That’s why I am committed to leading the fight to combat climate change. 

In addition to supporting the EPA’s efforts to cut down on pollution from fossil fuel burning power plants, I’ve also taken the fight directly to the biggest polluters. My office recently launched an investigation into ExxonMobil that will examine whether the company made false, deceptive, or misleading statements about climate change and the impact it may have on its bottom line. We launched this probe after an important news series revealed that the company may have misled investors about the risks of climate change.

The Nationmagazine recently published a story featuring my office’s efforts to combat climate change, which can be found here.  They wrote:

Even before Paris, Schneiderman’s office forced Peabody Energy, the largest private-sector 

coal company in the world, down this path. “We reached a settlement with Peabody that

requires them to restate their filings,” Schneiderman said, “because they had misrepresented: 

They said there was no way to predict the effect of stricter climate policies on their business, 

when in fact they had retained a third-party consultant to evaluate that very question. 

That, to us, constitutes fraud. And it sets a very good precedent for the fossil-fuel 

industry as a whole."

I hope you will join me in supporting important local, state and federal efforts to combat climate change and ensure a healthier planet for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Eric Schneiderman