WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court will take up an effort by local governments to go after big oil and gas companies like Exxon Mobil and Suncor for harms caused by climate change, an issue that has been debated in state courts across the country for years.
The court on Feb. 23 said it will consider whether it has jurisdiction to hear the dispute and, if it does, whether federal law prevents such lawsuits, including one filed by officials in Boulder, Colorado.
In a challenge that began in 2018, the city and surrounding country claim the companies violated state law by misleading the public about the environmental impacts of fossil fuels and should have to help cover costs incurred by the community from climate change.
More: Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado
The companies, which deny the allegations, argue local governments can’t use state laws to tackle a global environmental issue.
