Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court to prevent cities and states from imposing significant penalties on the energy industry. This action comes in response to a lawsuit by the City and County of Honolulu, which accuses energy companies of contributing to a "global climate crisis" by misleading consumers about emissions from products like gasoline.
Marshall expressed his stance, stating, "If Hawaiians want to rely on solar power, I have no problem with that. But Honolulu cannot force its views onto Alabama—or any other State. Major decisions about our national energy policy must be made at the federal level, not dictated by one lawsuit brought by one city in its own courts." He further criticized Honolulu for benefiting from fossil fuels while attempting to impose costs on other states.
In September 2023, Alabama led efforts against a similar lawsuit filed in Minnesota under state law. The current brief argues that cases involving interstate emissions should be handled under federal law. According to Marshall, allowing state-level lawsuits could infringe upon other states' rights to determine their own energy and environmental policies. The brief insists that Hawaii's lawsuit constitutes an interstate controversy requiring resolution by federal courts.
Marshall is supported in this initiative by attorneys general from 19 other states: Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.