Newsom, Bonta prepare to take on Trump Administration on environmental issues

As California prepares for another Trump Administration in the White House, state leaders said this time, they know what's coming.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is in Washington, D.C. this week, asking democratic allies, including President Joe Biden, for help ahead of next month's special session to "Trump proof" the state, much of which will focus on protecting the environment.

"We're going to move aggressively to be pro-active and not reactive, to the incoming Trump Administration," Newsom said.

California leaders said this time, they know what's coming because they expect president-elect Donald Trump to break the law.

"100% getting prepared for lawsuits against the Trump Administration," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. "Not getting prepared. Are prepared. Been prepared. I've been preparing for months. In some cases, years."

The state of California filed 122 lawsuits during the Trump Administration's first term -- and it's gearing up for more.

"We have always supported climate action. Protecting our environment," Bonta explained. "Some of the strongest laws, not just in the nation, in the world when it comes to reduction of greenhouse gases. When it comes to controlling plastics. When it comes to recycling. When it comes to vehicle emissions. Stationary source emissions. You name it, we lead it."

"California has a unique authority under the Clean Air Act to adopt its own vehicle standards," Earthjustice Deputy Managing Attorney Adrian Martinez said. "Under the last Trump Administration, we saw efforts from the EPA to roll back some of those regulations."

The nonprofit law firm Earthjustice was successful in over 80 percent of their lawsuits against the first Trump Administration. The firm has beefed up, and now has over 200 lawyers with 14 offices around the country. They're not just expecting to push back, but also forge ahead.

"Our vision, which is a zero emissions vision, requires putting a lot of people to work," Martinez said. "We gotta build a lot of zero emission vehicles, build chargers, retrofit people's homes to allow for zero emission equipment. Our vision has a lot of jobs as well, so this notion, the oil and gas industry wants to focus on their jobs and their profit, but the broader public would benefit from a zero emissions future."

"The hot's getting hotter. The colds getting colder. The wets getting wetter. The dry's getting dryer. We see the impact of climate change with our own very eyes with extreme weather," Bonta said. "Wildfires. Super storms. Droughts. Floods. We need to prepare. We need to do more. We can't stick our head in the sand and deny the science."