Supreme Court to Hear Major Environmental Lawsuit
New York Times · LC · trust 71/100
The justices will begin their new term with a landmark case about whether local governments can sue oil companies over damages caused by climate change.
Listen · 4:50 min Share full article 0 The Suncor Energy refinery in Commerce City, Colo. The case before the justices pits officials from nearby Boulder against Suncor and Exxon Mobil. Credit... Mark Makela for The New York Times By Abbie VanSickle
That is the question underpinning the first case of the Supreme Court’s new term, a landmark dispute over whether state and local governments can seek to hold oil companies responsible for billions of dollars in costs from floods, droughts, wildfires and other climate-related disasters.
The case before the justices pits officials from Boulder, Colo., against two major oil companies — Suncor Energy and Exxon Mobil. The Colorado officials contend that they should be able to proceed with a lawsuit arguing that the oil companies violated state law and seeking to hold them responsible for the costs of environmental damages. The companies, joined by the Trump administration, argue that such lawsuits are barred by federal law and the Constitution.
A decision is expected by the end of June or early July. Depending on its scope, the ruling could have significant implications for similar efforts to sue fossil fuel companies for billions of dollars in damages caused by climate change.
If the court sides with the companies and finds that such lawsuits are not allowed, it could doom dozens of other such cases by local and tribal governments percolating in lower courts throughout the country.
A decision for Boulder could clear the way for similar cases to move forward, potentially opening up oil companies to enormous financial liability.
Only eight of the nine justices are scheduled to take the bench for the argument. Last week, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. announced he would recuse himself from the case.
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