Justice Department Sues Minnesota Over State Climate Lawsuit, Citing Federal Authority Over Global Emissions
- Steve Jurrens
- May 4
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Minnesota State News - The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a federal lawsuit against the State of Minnesota, seeking to block the state’s ongoing climate‑related litigation against major energy companies. Federal officials argue that Minnesota’s state‑court case unlawfully attempts to regulate global greenhouse gas emissions—an area the DOJ says falls under exclusive federal authority.
The complaint, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, asserts that Minnesota’s 2020 lawsuit against national energy producers “seeks a global remedy for a global issue” and would “effectively override the policy choices made by the federal government and other states.”
According to the filing, Minnesota’s state-law claims—brought under consumer protection, fraud, and advertising statutes—aim to hold companies liable for worldwide fossil fuel emissions and compel them to disgorge profits. The DOJ argues that such an approach intrudes on federal authority over interstate pollution, national energy policy, and foreign affairs.
“Minnesota does not even try to hide the obvious: it seeks a global remedy for a global issue,” the complaint states, quoting an earlier Eighth Circuit opinion.
Justice Department: Minnesota Overstepped Its Authority
In announcing the lawsuit, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the action follows President Donald J. Trump’s executive order directing the DOJ to “protect American energy from state overreach.”
“Minnesota officials cannot undermine his directive by mandating that their climate preferences become the uniform policy of our Nation,” Woodward said in the DOJ’s statement.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Environment and Natural Resources Division said Minnesota’s lawsuit represents “another unconstitutional state effort to invade an area of exclusive federal control.”
The DOJ argues that:
· The Clean Air Act designates the EPA—not individual states—as the primary regulator of domestic greenhouse gas emissions.
· Minnesota’s claims attempt to impose liability for out‑of‑state and international emissions, violating constitutional limits on state authority.
· The lawsuit interferes with U.S. foreign policy, including recent federal decisions to withdraw from international climate agreements.
· The state’s actions burden interstate commerce by targeting energy production occurring largely outside Minnesota.
Minnesota’s Climate Case Resumes After Court Stay Lifted
Minnesota’s underlying lawsuit—filed in 2020 against Exxon Mobil, Koch Industries, the American Petroleum Institute, and others—had been paused for nearly a year while defendants pursued appeals. The stay dissolved on May 4, 2026, allowing the state to resume litigation.
The DOJ filed its federal complaint the same day.
What the Federal Government Is Asking the Court to Do
The United States is seeking:
· A declaration that Minnesota’s climate lawsuit is unconstitutional
· A preliminary and permanent injunction blocking Minnesota from pursuing or enforcing the case
· Costs and any additional relief the court deems appropriate
The case is United States v. Minnesota, filed in the District of Minnesota. Protecting American Energy From State Overreach – The White House
