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US Supreme Court wrestles with oil companies' bid to scuttle climate lawsuit · GNN Daily Breaking News

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  Speaker 1: The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding an
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  Speaker 1: effort by energy giants ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy to block
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  Speaker 1: a landmark state-level climate change lawsuit brought by municipal officials
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  Speaker 1: in Colorado. Opening the court's new term, the justices weighed
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  Speaker 1: whether local governments can use state tort laws to seek
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  Speaker 1: monetary damages from fossil fuel companies for localized infrastructure harms
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  Speaker 1: linked to global warming. The legal appeal, brought by the
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  Speaker 1: energy firms after the Colorado Supreme Court permitted the suit
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  Speaker 1: by Boulder officials to move forward, represents a pivotal crossroads
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  Speaker 1: for dozens of similar climate accountability lawsuits working their way
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  Speaker 1: through state and federal courts across the country. During the proceedings,
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  Speaker 1: legal counsel for the oil companies argued that allowing municipal
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  Speaker 1: suits under state law creates an unconstitutional patchwork of regulations.
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  Speaker 1: effectively permitting individual jurisdictions to police global greenhouse gas emissions.
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  Speaker 1: Backup arguments supported by federal government filings asserted that interstate
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  Speaker 1: air pollution claims are strictly governed by federal law and
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  Speaker 1: the Clean Air Act, which preempt local common law claims. Conversely,
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  Speaker 1: representatives for the local governments argued that the lawsuit does
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  Speaker 1: not attempt to regulate national energy policy or set emissions limits.
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  Speaker 1: but rather seeks monetary compensation for localized climate disasters, deceptive
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  Speaker 1: marketing practices, and infrastructure repair costs borne by local taxpayers.
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  Speaker 1: Questions from the bench highlighted a complex balance between state
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  Speaker 1: judicial autonomy and national economic policy. Conservative justices expressed concern
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  Speaker 1: over the broader practical implications of exposing energy producers to
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  Speaker 1: liability across thousands of local jurisdictions. while other members of
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  Speaker 1: the court raised questions about foreclosing traditional state remedies for
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  Speaker 1: property damage and consumer protection violations. A final ruling in
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  Speaker 1: the case, which is expected before the conclusion of the
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  Speaker 1: court's term in June, could establish a precedent determining whether
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  Speaker 1: state courts remain open to municipal climate litigation or if
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  Speaker 1: fossil fuel accountability efforts must be addressed exclusively by Congress
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  Speaker 1: and federal regulatory agencies.