The U.S. Department of Justice continues to push back against the nationally coordinated climate litigation campaign, announcing a lawsuit against Minnesota over its 2020 climate lawsuit against major energy companies. The DOJ complaint alleges Attorney General Keith Ellison’s case is an unconstitutional attempt to regulate greenhouse gas emissions – claims preempted by federal law, an argument courts across the country have repeatedly upheld in dismissing similar cases.

The complaint also raises concerns about how these types of cases threaten American energy security and national interests. As Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward explained after the filing:

“Minnesota’s attempt to impose a national regulation on global greenhouse gas emissions not only is preempted by federal law, but also undermines affordable and reliable American energy, weakening the national and economic security of the United States.”

The DOJ’s action is part of a broader federal effort to defend the constitutional limits on state climate lawsuits.

Read more on EID Climate.