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Fossil Fuel Environmental Litigation

Mintz

Pennsylvania State Court Dismisses Climate Tort Litigation Against Major Fossil Fuel Companies

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A local state court in Pennsylvania recently dismissed an array of climate tort claims brought against major fossil fuel companies by a local government--in this case, Bucks County. Among the three dozen or so climate tort...more

Pillsbury - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real...

States and Municipalities Advance Climate Change Lawsuits as Trump Administration Seeks to Block Them

Even as the Trump administration moves to block state and local climate liability efforts, states and municipalities continue to advance lawsuits seeking to hold fossil fuel companies liable for harms associated with climate...more

Holland & Knight LLP

An Update on Climate Superfund Laws and Climate Change Lawsuits

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In recent years, states and municipalities have attempted to hold fossil fuel companies liable for their alleged impacts on climate change. Numerous states and municipalities have sued fossil fuel companies, alleging that...more

Mintz

Colorado Supreme Court Allows Climate Tort Litigation to Proceed

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On May 12, 2025, in a 5-2 decision, the Colorado Supreme Court held that the tort claims brought by local governments in Colorado against major fossil fuel companies concerning damages stemming from climate change could...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Energy & Climate Counsel

Trump Administration Sues Four States to Block Climate Superfund Legislation and Climate Deception Litigation

As we have noted previously, a number of states have enacted legislation and/or brought claims against fossil fuel producers seeking payment for damages resulting from climate change. Legislative efforts include New York...more

Pillsbury - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real...

Federal Government Sues Four States Over Climate Superfund Laws and Climate Change Litigation

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a series of federal lawsuits against four states—New York, Vermont, Michigan and Hawaii—alleging that recent legislative and enforcement efforts to hold fossil fuel companies...more

Goldberg Segalla

Navigating Environmental Jurisdiction: DOJ’s Challenge to State Climate Superfund Laws

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The U.S. Department of Justice filed lawsuits against New York and several other states, challenging their newly enacted state Superfund laws (Superfund lawsuits). The laws aim to address the environmental damages attributed...more

Cozen O'Connor

Vermont’s Climate Superfund Law Draws Heated Challenge from GOP AGs

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A group of 24 Republican AGs, along with several trade associations, sued Vermont over the state’s Climate Superfund Act, which authorizes the state to levy billions of dollars in fines on fossil fuel companies for alleged...more

Vinson & Elkins LLP

Trump Administration Sues New York and Vermont Over Climate Superfund Legislation

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On May 1, 2025, the federal government brought separate suits against both New York and Vermont alleging that these state’s “climate Superfund” statutes are unconstitutional on multiple grounds. In two nearly identical...more

Mintz

Trump Administration Files Preemptive Lawsuits Against Hawaii and Michigan to Block Climate Change Litigation

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Recently, both the State of Hawaii and the State of Michigan had announced that they would be pursuing litigation against fossil fuel companies concerning alleged damages stemming from the companies' contribution to climate...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

State Climate Laws and Litigation Face Federal Pushback Under New Executive Order

On April 8, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14260, Protecting American Energy From State Overreach​. Framed as part of the Administration’s broader strategy of unleashing American energy, the Order directs...more

ArentFox Schiff

Three Takeaways From $745 Million Louisiana Verdict Against Chevron for Coastal Wetland Damage

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Public companies can face significant liability based on past operations. While most industrial companies have long-term experience evaluating potential remediation obligations imposed by laws such as the federal...more

Jones Day

German Landmark Climate Change Litigation Case Continues

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A Peruvian farmer's climate action lawsuit against a German energy company was continued recently before the Higher Regional Court in Hamm, Germany....more

Jones Day

New York Courts Shut Down Consumer Protection Claims Regarding Greenwashing

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The amount of climate-related litigation has tripled in the past decade and includes greenwashing claims against some of the largest fossil fuel companies in the world. New York state and its localities have brought some of...more

Vinson & Elkins LLP

New York Passes Climate Superfund Legislation - Updated 3.6.25

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On December 26, 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Climate Change Superfund Act (“CCSA” or the “Act”) into law. The law requires certain fossil fuel producers and refiners with sufficient connections to New York...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

22 AGs Challenge New York’s Climate Superfund Law

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A coalition of industry associations and 22 state attorneys general (AG), led by West Virginia AG JB McCuskey, filed a lawsuit against the State of New York in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York...more

Cozen O'Connor

Minnesota’s Win Turns Up the Heat in Climate Change Litigation

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Minnesota AG Keith Ellison has obtained an order denying in large part motions to dismiss filed by defendants ExxonMobil Corp., the American Petroleum Institute, Koch Industries, Inc., Flint Hills Resources LP, and Flint...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP - Class Dismissed

A New Era of Climate Accountability: State Climate Superfund Laws Gain Momentum

As climate adaptation and mitigation costs escalate, a wave of state climate superfund legislation is emerging across the United States. This novel approach to climate accountability, pioneered by Vermont and New York,...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act: What You Need to Know

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On December 26, 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law S02129B, also known as the New York Climate Change Superfund Act (Act). This law is modeled after the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response,...more

Fenwick & West LLP

U.S. Supreme Court Allows Honolulu's Lawsuit Against Oil and Gas Companies to Proceed in State Court

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On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will not hear an appeal from certain major oil and gas companies to dismiss a lawsuit by the city of Honolulu seeking to hold the companies responsible for the impacts of...more

Mintz - Energy & Sustainability Viewpoints

Energy & Sustainability Litigation Updates — January 2025

Regulatory Updates - There have been a couple of noteworthy developments in recent weeks concerning the mandatory climate disclosure regime enacted by California. These developments relate to SB 253 and SB 261, which...more

Mintz

Maine Sues Major Fossil Fuel Companies

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Last week, the State of Maine became the latest state or local government to sue the major fossil fuel companies for damages related to climate change. There are around three dozen lawsuits bringing common law and state tort...more

Mintz

State Court Rules California Has Jurisdiction Over Fossil Fuel Companies In Connection With Climate Change Lawsuits

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Over the past several years, there have been more than three dozen lawsuits launched against the major fossil fuel companies seeking damages due to climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. These claims are based...more

Mintz

Connecticut Lawsuit Against Major Fossil Fuel Company Survives Motion to Dismiss

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A couple of weeks ago, a lawsuit brought by the State of Connecticut against a major fossil fuel company, alleging various violations of the consumer protection laws in Connecticut (specifically, the Connecticut Unfair Trade...more

Mintz - Energy & Sustainability Viewpoints

Energy & Sustainability Litigation Updates – August 2024

Regulatory Updates - Governor Newsom (D-CA) recently proposed a two-year delay to California’s sweeping new mandatory climate disclosures, which apply to all large companies—public or private—doing business in California....more

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