The lawsuit filed by Baltimore, Maryland, against energy giants like Exxon Mobil Corp XOM, BP p.l.c. BP, and Chevron Corp CVX was reportedly dismissed by a Maryland judge, Videtta Brown, on Thursday.
The judge ruled the case exceeded state law limits by attempting to address the global effects of gas emissions, reported Reuters.
As per the report, the lawsuit alleged a deceptive campaign by the companies regarding the risks of their fossil fuel products, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
Judge Brown’s decision in Baltimore marks the first dismissal by a state court of lawsuits accusing energy companies of concealing fossil fuel risks from the public.
Judge Brown emphasized claims related to emissions must be governed by federal law. She dismissed Baltimore’s argument that its lawsuit focused solely on deceptive marketing under state law, describing it as an attempt to circumvent federal jurisdiction.
Sara Gross, the chief of the affirmative litigation division in the Baltimore City Department of Law, in a statement, said the city disagreed with the ruling and planned to appeal.
Theodore Boutrous, a lawyer for Chevron, in a statement, said the ruling “recognizes that climate policy cannot be advanced by the unconstitutional application of state law to regulate global emissions.”
Read Also: Oil Giant Shell Appeals Landmark Climate Ruling: Report
Last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed an amended complaint targeting major fossil fuel companies like BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell plc SHEL, ConocoPhillips COP, and the American Petroleum Institute.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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