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Biden administration tells Supreme Court big oil climate cases belong in state court
(Reuters, 17 Mar 2023) A lawsuit filed by several Colorado municipalities accusing ExxonMobil Corp and Suncor Energy Inc. of exacerbating climate change belongs in state court where it was filed, the Biden administration told the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday.
The administration urged the justices to reject the oil companies’ petition for review of a February 2022 appeals court's ruling that sent the case back to state court, a venue generally considered more favorable to the municipal plaintiffs.
The Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals remanded the case after concluding that none of the grounds cited by the companies to change the venue supported giving federal courts jurisdiction.
The venue question is a key point of contention in roughly two dozen lawsuits filed by states and municipalities against major oil companies alleging they concealed and misrepresented the dangers associated with burning fossil fuels.
The oil companies have denied the local and state governments' allegations and argued that despite the municipalities only raising state law claims, the cases clearly raise federal questions.
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