Supreme Court to weigh energy companies' bid to end climate-change suit

The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday over a bid by Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy to block a lawsuit filed by the city and county of Boulder over the effects of climate change.

Washington — When the Supreme Court returns to the bench Monday for the first time since late June, it will kick off its new term with a major case involving an effort by the city and county of Boulder, Colorado, to hold fossil-fuel producers accountable for the impacts of global climate change.The lawsuit from Boulder is one of dozens filed by states and local governments against energy companies in state courts that seek money damages for past and future harms that they allege are caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which has led to global warming. The long-running dispute brought by Boulder targets Exxon Mobil, the nation's largest energy company, and Suncor Energy, which operates two oil refineries in Colorado.

The suit remains in its early stages, and the issue before the Supreme Court is whether the suit can proceed or is barred by federal law. A win for Boulder from the Supreme Court wouldn't mean it will ultimately prevail against the fossil-fuel producers in state court."This is not a judgment about whether these cases will succeed. It's a judgment about whether folks get to make their case," said Jonathan Adler, a law professor at William & Mary who has written about federalism and environmental law and filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Boulder. "And