Vermont AG Filed Lawsuit against Group of Fossil Fuel Companies

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

In September 2021, Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan filed a consumer protection lawsuit against a group of fossil fuel companies for violating Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act. The complaint alleged that the companies concealed crucial information and disseminated misleading statements about climate change, amounting to deceptive and unfair practices. The lawsuit sought to prevent the companies from engaging in further deceptive practices.

Shortly after the case was filed, the defendants removed the case to federal court, stalling the case for several years while the jurisdiction was disputed. In February 2024, the federal district court in Burlington, Vermont granted the AG’s motion to return the case to state court. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark issued the following statement: “Vermonters deserve to know the truth about fossil fuel products as they make consumer choices. This case seeks to hold accountable fossil fuel companies that misrepresented their products and hid information from the public.”