baltimore
Newsletter
A Maryland judge dismisses Baltimore's climate lawsuit against oil companies
A Baltimore judge dismissed the city's climate lawsuit against major oil companies, saying state courts cannot address global issues like climate change.
In short:
- Filed in 2018, Baltimore's lawsuit aimed to hold oil companies like Chevron, Exxon, and BP accountable for environmental damages.
- Judge Brown ruled that federal law, not state law, governs such global pollution-based complaints.
- Baltimore plans to appeal, arguing that the lawsuit addresses consumer fraud, not emission regulation.
Key quote:
"Global pollution-based complaints were never intended by Congress to be handled by individual states."
— Videtta A. Brown, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge
Why this matters:
This ruling sets a precedent that could limit state-level legal actions against oil companies for climate-related damages. It challenges efforts to hold fossil fuel industries accountable for their role in climate change.
Keep reading...Show less
Laurel Peltier took on multi-million dollar private energy companies scamming Baltimore’s low-income households, one victim at a time
Policymakers hoped deregulated energy markets would lower utility bills through open competition. Energy advocates found the opposite: retail energy companies are fleecing low-income communities of color in cities like Baltimore.
Top Story
Photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash
More than two dozen cities and states are suing Big Oil over climate change – they just got a boost from the US Supreme Court
Honolulu, Baltimore, Charleston, S.C. and several other cities harmed by rising seas and extreme weather are suing the oil industry. At stake is who pays for the staggering costs of climate change.
Newsletter
Baltimore County leaders to consider a new way to pay for cost of climate change
Paying for damage done by climate change can cost local governments big bucks. The Baltimore County Council is considering establishing a resilience authority to help finance climate change-related projects.
Top Story
Photo by Irina Sitnikova on Unsplash
Inside Baltimore's groundbreaking plan to study climate change in the city
A $25 million grant will help researchers study how the city can adapt and become more resilient.
Top Story
In a twist, old coal plants help deliver renewable power. Here's how
The sites, once a source of greenhouse gases, have a useful feature: They’re wired to the electricity grid. For new ventures like solar farms, that can save a lot of time and money.
Newsletter
Sweltering summer heat to swallow eastern U.S. late week
Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia should all hit 90 for the first time this year by Friday.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
