ALBANY, New York: A coalition of 22 states has filed a lawsuit against New York, arguing that the state's new Climate Change Superfund Act—which requires major energy producers to pay $75 billion over 25 years—violates the U.S. Constitution.

The lawsuit, led by West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, was filed Thursday in Albany and names New York Attorney General Letitia James and other officials as defendants.

"This law is unconstitutional, and I am proud to lead this coalition of attorneys general and brave private energy companies and industry groups in our fight to protect against this overreach," McCuskey said.

The Climate Change Superfund Act, signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, aims to hold major fossil fuel companies accountable for damage caused by their emissions between 2000 and 2018. Companies are required to contribute funds based on their past emissions, with the money going toward climate adaptation projects, including infrastructure improvements.

The lawsuit claims the law unfairly targets a small group of energy producers and forces consumers and businesses in other states to subsidize New York-based projects, such as sewer system upgrades in New York City.

"If we allow New York to get away with this, it will only be a matter of time before other states follow suit—wrecking our nation's power grid," McCuskey said.

The states argue that fossil fuels were essential to New York's economic growth and should not be unfairly blamed for global emissions.

"Coal, oil, and natural gas kept the lights on in Albany, built the steel for New York City's skyscrapers, and powered industries that sustain the state's economy," the lawsuit states.

New York officials remain confident the law will hold up in court.

"We look forward to defending this landmark legislation in court and defeating Big Oil once again," said Paul DeMichele, a spokesperson for Gov. Hochul.

Alongside West Virginia, the lawsuit includes Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.