State and local officials suing oil and gas companies for climate change are urging congressional Democrats to reject a proposal that would shield the industry from lawsuits.
“States, tribes, and municipalities have the right to utilize state laws to hold wrongdoers accountable in many industries,” wrote 21 state attorneys general and local officials in a letter Monday to the top Democrats of several House committees.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) introduced federal legislation in April that would wipe out more than a dozen lawsuits filed against the fossil fuel industry by local and state governments. The cases accuse the industry of misleading the public about the dangers of burning fossil fuels and seek compensation for the costs of dealing with warming temperatures and rising tides.
In their letter, state and local officials — led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) — argued that the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act would undermine their “well-established authority” to enforce laws to protect their residents. They noted that the state laws that underpin their climate lawsuits were successfully used to bring cases against opioid and tobacco manufacturers, as well as social media companies.
