Hawaii Special Master Orders 75 Years of Energy Records in Climate Suits
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 21
Hawaii Special Master Orders 75 Years of Energy Records in Climate Suits
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 21
A court-appointed special master in Hawaii ordered oil and gas companies to produce 75 years of documents tied to the global production and sale of energy products in climate-damages lawsuits brought by the state, Honolulu and Maui.
The sweeping discovery push follows a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that let the Honolulu case proceed, giving climate plaintiffs a major procedural win in state court.
The order comes while the U.S. Supreme Court is considering in Suncor Energy v. Boulder County whether similar climate tort claims belong in state or federal court, a threshold issue affecting roughly 30 related lawsuits.
Critics say Hawaii should have paused proceedings as some courts in California and New Jersey have done, warning the document demands could impose heavy costs before a high-court ruling potentially narrows or wipes out such claims.
As other states dismiss climate cases, will a coming U.S. Supreme Court ruling derail Hawaii’s billion-dollar legal battle?
Why is Hawaii’s only refinery, a new producer of green fuels, exempt from the state's lawsuit against the oil industry?