Puerto Rico drops $1B climate lawsuit as Trump targets state cases
Puerto Rico has withdrawn its $1 billion climate lawsuit against the oil and gas industry, days after the Trump administration sued two states in an effort to block climate litigation.
In a notice filed Friday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, the government said it 'voluntarily dismisses this entire case.' It did not elaborate.
The filing, which was signed by the government's local counsel and California-based Sher Edling, a law firm that represents a number of communities that have filed similar lawsuits, said it would dismiss the case 'without prejudice' — allowing for it to be refiled.
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The government did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Sher Edling said the firm serves 'under the direction and control, and at the pleasure of, our clients in all of our representations.'
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