Justice Department sues Minnesota to halt state climate case against oil industry defendants

The U.S. Justice Department filed a federal complaint against Minnesota on Monday seeking to block the state’s climate lawsuit against major energy-industry defendants.
Minnesota’s underlying lawsuit names Exxon Mobil, the American Petroleum Institute, Koch Industries and Flint Hills Resources as defendants.
Minnesota’s case alleges the defendants misled the public or consumers about the dangers, causes, or impacts of climate change under state consumer-protection laws.
The Justice Department argues Minnesota is trying to regulate greenhouse gas emissions through state-court litigation and that such authority rests with the federal government.
The Minnesota climate lawsuit was filed in 2020 and remains pending in state court after earlier procedural and dismissal challenges.
The new federal case matters beyond Minnesota because it tests whether states can use their own laws to pursue climate-related claims against fossil fuel companies or whether federal law preempts those efforts.
What remains unresolved is whether a federal judge will stop Minnesota’s state case, which would determine whether the state’s lawsuit can continue toward discovery and further proceedings.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a federal complaint against Minnesota on Monday seeking to block the state’s climate lawsuit against major energy-industry defendants.
Minnesota’s underlying lawsuit names Exxon Mobil, the American Petroleum Institute, Koch Industries and Flint Hills Resources as defendants.
Minnesota’s case alleges the defendants misled the public or consumers about the dangers, causes, or impacts of climate change under state consumer-protection laws.
The Justice Department argues Minnesota is trying to regulate greenhouse gas emissions through state-court litigation and that such authority rests with the federal government.
The Minnesota climate lawsuit was filed in 2020 and remains pending in state court after earlier procedural and dismissal challenges.
The new federal case matters beyond Minnesota because it tests whether states can use their own laws to pursue climate-related claims against fossil fuel companies or whether federal law preempts those efforts.
What remains unresolved is whether a federal judge will stop Minnesota’s state case, which would determine whether the state’s lawsuit can continue toward discovery and further proceedings.