API, AFPM Back Legislation to Halt State Laws and Lawsuits Targeting American Energy

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2026 — American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO Mike Sommers and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President and CEO Chet Thompson issued the following statement after Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Harriet Hageman introduced legislation to address a wave of lawsuits and “climate superfund” laws targeting U.S. energy producers and threatening to raise costs for American consumers:

“We thank Senator Cruz and Rep. Hageman for introducing legislation to stop a growing patchwork of state laws and lawsuits that threaten American energy and risk raising costs for consumers. These efforts to retroactively penalize companies for lawfully meeting consumer demand are misguided and counterproductive. Congress should act decisively to reaffirm federal authority over national energy policy and end this activist-driven state overreach.”

More than 30 lawsuits are moving through courts as part of a coordinated campaign targeting American energy, with a growing number already dismissed. Courts have increasingly found that global emissions issues are governed by federal law and cannot be regulated through a patchwork of courtrooms.

At the same time, New York and Vermont’s so-called “climate superfund” laws are facing challenges from the U.S. Department of Justice, a coalition of states and industry, including API. With at least 10 additional states considering similar actions, these activist-driven policies threaten to raise energy costs, discourage investment and undermine a consistent national energy framework at the expense of American consumers.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry, supporting nearly 11 million U.S. jobs. With approximately 600 members, API companies produce, process, and distribute the majority of the nation’s energy. Founded in 1919, API has developed over 800 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency, and sustainability.