Louisiana’s Attorney General says this may abridge ethics laws.

A Michael Bloomberg-backed fellowship program known for placing attorneys in state attorney general offices to spearhead climate litigation has quietly broadened its scope, sending staffers to work in state agencies that regulate the energy sector, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.

The New York University State Energy & Environmental Impact Center’s fellowship—which Bloomberg’s eponymous philanthropic nonprofit provided two seed grants worth $5.6 million in 2017—has long placed and paid the salaries of officials in at least 10 state attorney general offices nationwide. Over the past two years, internal emails obtained by the Free Beacon show, the program has expanded to state-level public service commissions, often-overlooked agencies that regulate utility companies and permit energy infrastructure like pipelines and power plants. The commissions also implement state renewable energy standards that force power providers to generate electricity through pricier green sources.

The center’s work in attorney general offices, where Bloomberg-funded fellows have participated in litigation accusing the fossil fuel industry of causing global warming, has prompted conflict-of-interest concerns over the use of private funding to drive public lawsuits. Its work in state regulatory agencies, on the other hand, is a new development—one that suggests the center and its funders seek to play a more active role pushing green energy development at the local level.

In recent years, the Free Beacon points out, commissions have taken on a significant role in overseeing and enforcing state renewable energy standards, which require utilities to generate a specific portion of electricity from green energy sources. Climate activists have pushed for these mandates, but in states like Delaware, they’ve led to sharp increases in consumer electricity costs.

The NYU impact center’s involvement in attorney general offices has drawn scrutiny for ethical concerns, with experts warning that private funding for government roles creates conflicts of interest. Its newer engagement with state regulatory agencies indicates a broader effort by the center and its backers to drive local green energy initiatives.

Michael Bloomberg is known for owning mllions of dollars in fossil fuel investments and has supported a variety of environmentalist efforts. In many ways, this is a billionaire seeking to maximize profit by minimizing competition using regulatory bodies. Wash, rinse, repeat.