Maryland judge dismisses Baltimore’s lawsuit against oil companies, marking a win for the fossil fuel industry.

A state judge in Maryland has dismissed a lawsuit by Baltimore against oil companies, stating that the city’s challenge against BP and other oil producers exceeds Maryland state law. The ruling is a significant victory for the fossil fuel industry, marking the first time a state judge has dismissed the entire lawsuit by a local government in which a judge ruled that the oil industry owes the city compensation for storms and disasters worsened by rising temperatures. The judge stated that the lawsuit, which used state law, was beyond the limits of Maryland law and that it sought damages for the cumulative impact of conduct occurring simultaneously across all jurisdictions.