LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 16 other state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The brief aims to support the City of Oakland, California and the City of San Francisco in their fight against fossil fuel companies.
The cities and attorneys allege that fossil fuel companies mislead the public about the dangers of fossil fuels and climate change.
The brief asks the court to uphold a federal district court’s ruling.
“Protecting the health and welfare of the people of Michigan is a duty I take very seriously,” Nessel said in a statement. “The district court has correctly rejected every basis for federal jurisdiction asserted by these companies. The claims in this case fall well within the traditional areas of state regulation and I stand firmly with my colleagues in asserting that this case belongs in state court.”
The brief claims that state and local governments have the right to pursue cases that may have a national-level impact, such as cases involving climate change.
Nessel is joined by the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington.
