[ April 25, 2026 ]
Baltimore loses its bid to soak oil and gas firms as public nuisances. The government is actively working against the interests of its citizens.
A Climate-Change Lawsuit Dead End
Baltimore loses its bid to soak oil and gas firms as public nuisances.
By The Editorial Board, Wall Stret Journal, July 13, 2022:
ADVERTISEMENTBaltimore joined other progressive cities in suing fossil-fuel producers for causing a public nuisance with their emissions and misleading consumers about their contributions to climate change. The city demanded that the companies pay damages for sundry climate harms allegedly resulting from their emissions.
No dice. “Global pollution-based complaints were never intended by Congress to be handled by individual states,” Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Videtta Brown, a Democratic appointee, explained in her ruling. “Federal law governs disputes involving air and water in their ambient state.”
A unanimous Supreme Court held as much in AEP v. Connecticut (2011), which dismissed similar claims by states in federal court. Cities have sought to end-run that decision by suing in state courts. Because the Clean Air Act forecloses federal common law claims over emissions, Judge Brown writes that the law also blocks such lawsuits in state courts.
She also rejected Baltimore’s claim that it wasn’t trying to directly punish emitters or regulate global emissions. “The explanation by Baltimore that it only seeks to address and hold Defendants accountable for a deceptive misinformation campaign is simply a way to get in the back door what they cannot get in the front door,” the judge writes.
While the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals and a Delaware state court have come to similar conclusions, Hawaii’s Supreme Court let Honolulu’s lawsuit move forward in state court. Oil and gas companies have appealed that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the growing lower court conflict is an important reason for Justices to hear the case.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Truth Must be Told
Your contribution supports independent journalism
Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more.
Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible.
Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too.
Please contribute here.
or
Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best.
ADVERTISEMENT
Quick note: We cannot do this without your support. Fact. Our work is made possible by you and only you. We receive no grants, government handouts, or major funding.Tech giants are shutting us down. You know this. Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Adsense, Pinterest permanently banned us. Facebook, Google search et al have shadow-banned, suspended and deleted us from your news feeds. They are disappearing us. But we are here.
Subscribe to Geller Report newsletter here— it’s free and it’s essential NOW when informed decision making and opinion is essential to America's survival. Share our posts on your social channels and with your email contacts. Fight the great fight.
Follow Pamela Geller on Gettr. I am there. click here.
Follow Pamela Geller on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. It's open and free.
Remember, YOU make the work possible. If you can, please contribute to Geller Report.
Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spammy or unhelpful, click the ... symbol to the right of the comment to let us know. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
