Supreme Court keeps wetland damage lawsuits in state courts

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by oil and gas companies hoping to move a key lawsuit over damage to Louisiana coastal wetlands from state to federal courts. The high court rejected the appeal in a brief order dated Monday. In effect, it upheld an October appeals court decision that keeps the lawsuit by Plaquemines Parish against oil giants including Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobile in state court. It’s the latest development in connection with dozens of lawsuits filed in coastal parishes between 2012 and 2017. The suits claim the defendant oil companies have failed to comply with state law governing coastal resources.