The case holds particular relevance in Louisiana, where the oil and gas industry remains a major employer and the coastal region has steadily vanished in recent decades.
By Julian Mark, The Washington Post
The Supreme Court on Friday sided with oil giant Chevron, ruling that it can fight an environmental damage lawsuit in federal court — a decision that could affect the outcomes of nearly a dozen other lawsuits that make similar allegations about the oil and gas industry.
The unanimous decision puts into question a $745 million state court judgment against Chevron to help restore coastal wetlands in Louisiana that were damaged as long ago as World War II. Chevron had asked the Supreme Court to order the case moved to federal court, where legal experts say judges and juries are less likely to have a bias toward local interests. A move to federal court also means the massive judgment could be vacated.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. did not participate in the case. Shortly before arguments in January, he recused himself, citing financial interests in ConocoPhillips, the parent of Burlington Resources Oil & Gas, a party in a related case.
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