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File #: 230444    Version: 0
Type: Resolution Status: Passed
File created: 7/11/2023 In control: COMMON COUNCIL
On agenda: Final action: 7/31/2023
Effective date:    
Title: Resolution urging the Wisconsin Attorney General to initiate legal action against the fossil fuel industry.
Sponsors: ALD. BAUMAN
Indexes: ENERGY RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT, STATE LEGISLATION
Attachments: 1. LRB 178258 Res - Fossil Fuel Lawsuit - Bauman - CC230444.pdf
Date Ver.Action ByActionResultTallyAction DetailsMeeting DetailsVideo
8/2/20230 MAYOR SIGNED   Action details Meeting details Not available
7/31/20230 COMMON COUNCIL ADOPTEDPass15:0 Action details Meeting details Not available
7/24/20230 JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION

Minutes note: Appearing: Sponsor - Ald. Robert Bauman Public Testimony from the Wisconsin For Environmental Justice Dean Muller - Joanne Lange -
Pass5:0 Action details Meeting details Video Video
7/11/20230 COMMON COUNCIL ASSIGNED TO   Action details Meeting details Not available
Number

230444

Version

ORIGINAL

Reference

Sponsor

ALD. BAUMAN

Title

Resolution urging the Wisconsin Attorney General to initiate legal action against the fossil fuel industry.

Analysis

This resolution urges the Wisconsin Attorney General to initiate legal action against major oil and gas companies for climate damages.

Body

Whereas, The fossil fuel industry sought to sow doubt about climate science after its own research accurately predicted devastating damages from climate change as early as the 1980’s; and

Whereas, Climate accountability lawsuits are a powerful tool that communities can use to hold oil and gas corporations accountable for their share of climate-change adaptation costs; and

Whereas, The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that climate-liability lawsuits must be heard in state courts; and

Whereas, According to the Center for Climate Integrity, more than 40 states and municipalities have filed lawsuits that seek to hold major oil and gas corporations accountable for deceiving the public about their central role in the climate crisis; and

Whereas, Litigation against oil and gas companies has fallen to state and local prosecutors because of the difficulty private citizens would have in proving the oil and gas companies directly harmed them; and

Whereas, Many counties and municipalities may lack the capacity to effectively administer complicated and protracted litigation; and

Whereas, In 2019, Wisconsin joined 21 states in a lawsuit against the 2019 Affordable Clean Energy Rule which rolled back carbon emissions standard for power plants which were put in place by the 2015 Clean Power Plan; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Wisconsin State Attorney General is urged to initiate legal action against major oil and gas corporations for climate damages; and, be it

Further Resolved, The City of Milwaukee supports an equitable disbursement of any funds awa...

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