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5th Circuit Allows Katrina Victims to Sue Over Global Warming

Posted Oct 21, 2009, 10:28 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss

A federal appeals court is allowing a suit by victims of Hurricane Katrina who claim oil, coal and chemical companies contributed to global warming, increasing the ferocity of the hurricane that damaged their property.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that victims of Hurricane Katrina have standing to sue oil, coal and chemical companies over global warming, and the suit presents a justiciable question. The decision (PDF) is Comer v. Murphy Oil USA.

The 5th Circuit ruled on Friday, according to the Wall Street Journal Law Blog and a Greenwire story published by the New York Times. The appeals court allowed the plaintiffs to pursue damages… Continue reading...



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