In Washington, the Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general from 19 states. Their goal was to prevent Democratic-led states from taking legal action against the oil and gas industry regarding climate change issues.
The Republican attorneys general attempted an uncommon strategy by filing a lawsuit directly in the Supreme Court. They were reacting to Democratic states using their own state courts to sue fossil fuel companies for allegedly misleading the public about the environmental impact of their products.
Although the Supreme Court typically hears appeals, it has the authority under the Constitution to handle original cases when states sue each other.
The Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2024.
AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have allowed the lawsuit to proceed for now. The justices don’t have the discretion to reject the complaint at this stage, Thomas wrote in a dissent that did not deal with the merits of the claim.
The Republicans’ complaint, led by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, asserts that the Democratic states are trying to dictate national energy policy and will drive up the cost of energy across the country.
The Supreme Court also has so far turned away appeals by the energy companies seeking to get the justices involved in the issue.
The lawsuits filed by dozens of state and local governments allege that fossil fuel companies misled the public about how their products could contribute to the climate crisis. The lawsuits claim billions of dollars of damage from such things as severe storms, wildfires and rising sea levels.
The Republican action specifically sought to stop lawsuits brought by California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island.
Only the federal government can regulate interstate gas emissions, and states have no power to apply their own laws to a global atmosphere that reaches well beyond their borders.
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