What happened: Maine is the latest state to file a climate nuisance lawsuit against major oil companies.

Tell me more: This follows a wave of similar lawsuits, including California’s case against ExxonMobil, showcasing a growing strategy of using the courts to circumvent the appropriate legislative and regulatory processes and impose energy policy.

Worth noting: Many climate nuisance lawsuits have been delayed due to legal challenges over whether they should be filed in state or federal court. Courts have ruled in the past that these lawsuits are not an appropriate use of the public nuisance doctrine.

• Still, the ongoing debate highlights the legal uncertainty these lawsuits create for the energy industry, which is critical to our national security and countless jobs.

TLR Thoughts: The public nuisance lawfare problem isn’t going away. Texas lawmakers must act to protect the state’s energy sector and economy from this growing trend and keep public policy decisions where they belong—within the legislature.

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