In October 2025, a district court in Cameron Parish granted a challenge brought by environmental justice groups who sought to vacate a coastal use permit (CUP) issued by the Office of Coastal Management (OCM) for the construction of an LNG facility. In granting petitioners’ challenge, the district court primarily cited OCM’s failure to analyze climate
The United States Supreme Court is currently presented with what many believe is the best opportunity for the Court to provide sorely needed guidance in the vastly growing climate change docket—where energy companies are facing liability for injuries allegedly sustained due to greenhouse gas emissions. In Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc., et al. v. County Commissioners
A newly filed class action in the Western District of Washington advances a novel theory of greenwashing liability by suggesting that rising homeowners-insurance premiums are tied to alleged decades of climate deception by major fossil-fuel companies. See Kennedy & Hazard v. Exxon Mobil Corp. et al., Case No. 2:25-cv-02378. According to the complaint, extreme weather
In this episode of “Energy Law This Week,” hosts Matt Jones and April L. Rolen-Ogden discuss significant legal cases affecting the energy sector, including the Greenpeace case and a royalty class action lawsuit in North Dakota. They delve into the implications of these cases on the oil and gas industry, as well as
In late October 2025, a Paris civil court handed down a decision that could reshape how global energy companies discuss their efforts in climate transition. The court ruled that an energy company misled consumers through a 2021 rebranding campaign where the company promised to be “a major player in the
Louisiana is experiencing significant LNG plant construction activity, with several projects underway or recently approved. Construction projects in Louisiana are governed by a unique statutory framework known as the Louisiana Private Works Act (“LPWA”). The LPWA establishes the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved in construction projects. The primary goal of the LPWA is
In late October 2025, Exxon Mobil Corporation filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, launching a major constitutional and regulatory challenge to California’s landmark climate disclosure regime. The company’s lawsuit targets two statutes enacted in 2023: Senate Bill 253—the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, and Senate
The Fifth Circuit’s recent decision in Lexon Insurance Co., Inc. v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc., No. 24-20347 (5th Cir. Aug. 19, 2025) (slip op.), addresses who should pay offshore decommissioning costs when a current leaseholder fails to meet its legal obligations. Federal law requires that wells, pipelines, and platforms on the Outer Continental Shelf
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed into law the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (“the OBBBA”), which modifies the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) by allowing a project sponsor to pay a fee for the expedited review of an Environmental Assessment (“EA”) or Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”).