President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at shutting down state efforts to tackle global warming could play a factor this week in the oil and gas industry’s latest attempt to dismiss one of about 30 climate lawsuits.
South Carolina Circuit Judge Roger Young will hear a motion Thursday and Friday from the fossil fuel industry to dismiss a suit filed by the city of Charleston.
The hearing comes after Young in April asked officials with Charleston and the oil and gas companies to outline their thoughts about what effect Trump’s order may have on the case. The city has accused the industry of misleading the public about the climate effects of using fossil fuels. Industry lawyers deny the allegations.
Lawyers for the city noted that the executive order asks Attorney General Pam Bondi to identify all state and local policies and practices that put a burden on domestic energy production or use.
