Supreme court sides with oil and gas firms in Louisiana coastal damage fight
Summary
The US Supreme Court ruled 8-0 in favor of oil and gas companies in a Louisiana lawsuit about damage to the coastline. The court decided the case should be handled in federal court, giving the companies another chance to fight claims that they harmed the environment during early oil production.Key Facts
- Louisiana has lost over 2,000 square miles of coastal land in the last 100 years.
- Oil and gas infrastructure is a major cause of this land loss, according to the US Geological Survey.
- Local lawsuits claim companies like Chevron and Exxon violated state laws by harming wetlands and failing to repair environmental damage.
- A state jury previously ordered Chevron to pay more than $740 million for coastal cleanup.
- The oil companies argue the case belongs in federal court because their activities began during World War II under federal contracts.
- The Supreme Court’s decision lets the companies bring the case to federal court instead of state court.
- Justice Samuel Alito did not participate due to owning stock in an oil company involved.
- Louisiana’s coastal protection agency warns that the state could lose another 3,000 square miles of land in coming decades if the damage continues.
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