A bill signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday will force major fossil fuel companies to pay reparations to allegedly assist New York in combating the impacts of climate change.

According to The New York Times, A state fund has been established to support infrastructure projects aimed at repairing or preventing future damage caused by climate change, with payments directed to this fund.

Earlier this year, New York lawmakers passed legislation to require major oil and gas companies to help cover the expenses of repairs following extreme weather events, which critics link directly to the actions of fossil fuel companies and their products.

8Though the new statute won’t immediately be enforced, The Times says the largest greenhouse gas emitters from 2000 to 2018 will face fines following New York State’s decision earlier this year to become the first state in the nation to prohibit natural gas and other fossil fuels in new buildings. The Empire State now mandates a transition to so-called renewable energy and electricity as its power grid nears its capacity limits.

Now New York must establish rules for identifying accountable parties, informing companies about the fines, and developing a system to decide which infrastructure projects will be funded. However, legal challenges are anticipated.

New York’s new law comes after Vermont passed similar legislation in May and, just like Vermont politicians, Empire State politicos want the advantages of fossil fuels but despise the companies that provide them.

Ultimately, this is nothing more than a cash grab that has nothing to do with climate. If the results of the tobacco settlement of the 1990’s is any indication, none of the money collected due to this boondoggle will go to any of New York’s so-called climate mitigation projects. It will only go to line the pockets of consultants, lobbyists, and state bureaucrats.