"Court finds that the cases were a backhanded attempt to regulate carbon emissions"
"In a scathing decision issued Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Maryland tossed out climate change lawsuits filed against fossil fuel companies by Baltimore, Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, ruling the localities were stepping on the toes of the federal government.
The jurisdictions had argued, including during an October hearing before the justices, that their suits against 26 companies, including BP and Chevron, were focused on the firms’ deceptive marketing practices about climate change — and could therefore go forward in state court.
But the state Supreme Court disagreed, determining that the local governments were actually trying to regulate interstate emissions, which rests solely with the federal government, under the federal Clean Air Act.
“No amount of creative pleading can masquerade the fact that the local governments are attempting to utilize state law to regulate global conduct that is purportedly causing global harm,” read the majority decision from Justice Brynja Booth."
Christine Condon reports for Maryland Matters March 25, 2026.
