The Supreme Court opened its term by hearing whether Boulder, Colorado, and other local governments may sue ExxonMobil and Suncor in state court over climate-related costs.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday opened its new term with argument in a case that could decide whether state and local governments may sue fossil-fuel companies over climate damages. Boulder city and county officials sued ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy in Colorado state court, seeking costs tied to drought, fire and flood.
The companies have asked the justices to block the state-court path. A ruling for the companies would narrow a set of similar suits filed by other cities and states. A ruling for Boulder would let those cases proceed toward discovery and possible damages.
Democracy Now and Havana Times, both drawing on the same day's reporting, said the argument also touches claims that companies misled the public about climate science. The Court did not issue a decision on Tuesday.
Opinions in argued cases typically come months later. Until then, the Boulder suit and related climate cases remain in procedural limbo.
No vote count from the argument was published by the Court on Tuesday.