A group of young Floridians has filed a lawsuit against the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC), arguing that the state’s reliance on fossil fuels violates their constitutional rights and jeopardizes their future. The plaintiffs, aged 18 to 25, are demanding a transition to renewable energy sources, claiming the PSC’s actions are fueling the climate crisis and threatening their ability to live in the state.
The lawsuit, filed with the support of the public interest law firm Our Children’s Trust, alleges that the commission’s approval of long-term plans for fossil fuel use directly contradicts Florida’s renewable energy policies. The plaintiffs argue that the state’s failure to act on climate change violates their right to “enjoy and defend life,” a fundamental provision of the Florida Constitution.
Focus on Constitutional Violations
The plaintiffs assert that Florida’s continued dependence on greenhouse gas-emitting energy sources exacerbates extreme weather events, including life-threatening heat waves, rising sea levels, and devastating flooding. Lead plaintiff Delaney Reynolds, a Miami-Dade County resident, expressed her frustration, stating, “Why can’t future generations also enjoy the beauty and unique environment that we have here, just because of what our legislators and our state agencies are doing?”
The lawsuit targets the PSC’s routine approval of utility companies’ fossil fuel plans, which the plaintiffs claim directly contradicts state law. Florida’s statutes emphasize the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and the promotion of renewable energy resources, but the plaintiffs argue these policies are being ignored.
Building on Previous Legal Efforts
The plaintiffs and Our Children’s Trust have a history of climate litigation. In 2018, Reynolds and the firm filed a lawsuit accusing Florida’s leadership of neglecting their constitutional obligation to act on climate change. That case was dismissed, with the court ruling that such issues were a matter for the legislature, not the judiciary.
Attorney Andrea Rodgers, who is representing the plaintiffs in the current case, believes this lawsuit has a stronger focus. “We’re not asking them to recognize any new constitutional rights. This is clearly established Florida law,” Rodgers said. “We simply want to ask the court to review the commission’s actions and determine if they align with the law and the Constitution.”
National Context and Success Stories
This lawsuit is part of a growing trend of youth-led climate cases across the United States. Earlier this year, Our Children’s Trust achieved a landmark victory in Montana, where the state Supreme Court ruled that regulators must consider greenhouse gas emissions before issuing permits for fossil fuel projects. In Hawaii, the firm secured a settlement requiring the state to decarbonize its transportation system within the next two decades.
The Florida case seeks to build on these precedents by holding the PSC accountable for its decisions. Unlike previous lawsuits, this case focuses on specific actions taken by the commission that the plaintiffs argue undermine state law and threaten their futures.
Public Service Commission’s Silence
The Florida Public Service Commission has declined to comment on the pending litigation. The case could have far-reaching implications for the state’s energy policies and the broader effort to combat climate change.
