Supreme Court to hear Colorado county lawsuit against oil companies

The Justice Department and conservative groups have asked the Supreme Court to dismiss lawsuits that seek money and policy changes from oil companies over alleged climate harms. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in Suncor Energy v. County Commissioners of Boulder County during its next term, which begins in October.

The case will determine whether the county's lawsuit against oil companies may proceed.

Background of the case Boulder County brought the lawsuit seeking to hold oil companies accountable for their alleged role in global climate change. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that federal law does not preempt the state-law claims.

Arguments presented In a brief to the Supreme Court, the Justice Department urged the justices to dismiss the lawsuit. The brief stated that the case presents a question of whether one city can use one state's law to dictate how the rest of the world must address a global problem.

The brief argued that the federal government alone can bring such an action regulating domestic emissions. It stated that Boulder officials are attempting to regulate global emissions. Consumers' Research filed a brief warning that allowing the lawsuit to proceed would lead to a patchwork of competing state-law commands on climate policy.

The group stated that the ruling would reduce competition, raise prices, and diminish energy options available to consumers. A group of Republican state attorneys general also filed a brief in support of the oil companies. The brief stated that siding with Boulder would threaten the availability of affordable energy and the sovereignty of states.