Brief
Supreme Court to Hear Boulder Climate Lawsuit Over Colorado Wildfire
The Court’s October term will begin with arguments on Boulder’s suit against ExxonMobil and Suncor over a devastating blaze.
By Felo News Desk · Published
On the first day of the Supreme Court’s new term, the justices will hear arguments in a Colorado case that could set a precedent for local governments suing fossil‑fuel producers for climate‑related damage, Independent reported.
What happened
The city and county of Boulder filed a lawsuit in 2018 against ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy, claiming the companies violated state law by misleading the public about their role in climate change. The suit seeks unspecified billions in damages to help cover costs from worsening wildfires, including the blaze that destroyed Tawnya Somauroo’s home in Boulder County.
What the reports add
Independent notes that the case is part of a broader wave of climate litigation across the United States, with dozens of jurisdictions suing oil and gas firms for disaster costs. It also highlights that the Trump administration backs the defendants, arguing the lawsuits constitute an unconstitutional power grab and that the Clean Air Act gives the federal government exclusive authority over emissions regulation.
What was said
Somauroo, whose home was consumed by the fire, told Independent, “We lost our homes and they left us to figure out for ourselves how to make our neighborhoods safe again…maybe the oil and gas industry should have a part in this.”
Phil Goldberg, special counsel for the Manufacturers' Accountability Project, said, “The problem is that climate change is caused by pretty much everybody living on earth…This litigation doesn’t do that.”
Federal attorneys, writing on behalf of the Trump administration, warned that allowing states to impose their own regulatory preferences would undermine the Clean Air Act.
Key facts
- The Supreme Court will hear Boulder’s climate lawsuit on the first day of its October term. (independent.co.uk)
- Boulder sued ExxonMobil and Suncor in 2018, alleging deception about climate impacts. (independent.co.uk)
- The lawsuit seeks billions in damages to cover wildfire costs. (independent.co.uk)
- The Trump administration supports the oil companies, citing the Clean Air Act. (independent.co.uk)
- Tawnya Somauroo’s home was destroyed in the wildfire that prompted the suit. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “The Supreme Court will hear a major climate change case involving a devastating Colorado wildfire”
