Recorded on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 Background: On April 17, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an 8-0 decision in Chevron USA Incorporated, et al., Petitioners v. Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, et al., holding that Chevron and other energy producers may remove Louisiana coastal damage actions from state court to federal court under the federal officer removal statute, 28 U.S.C Section 1442(a)(1), because the claims relate to oil production conducted under federal direction during World War II. The Court concluded that the statue's term "relating to" has broad reach, covering even indirect connections. The ruling allows Chevron and other energy companies to pursue removal of 42 state court lawsuits brought by local Louisiana parishes. These lawsuits, some dating as far back as 2013, seek damages and remediation funding and allege that energy‑production activities conducted by Chevron and other defendant companies, including activities related to federal contracts, caused coastal land loss and increased hurricane vulnerability. Panelists: Mike Fragoso, Partner, Torridon Law PLLC Melissa Landry, Research Analyst and Policy Expert Simone Maloz, Campaign Director, Restore the Mississippi River Delta Michael R. Williams, Solicitor General, Office of the Attorney General of West Virginia Moderator: Donald J. Kochan, Professor of Law and Executive Director, Law & Economics Center, George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School
