Climate damages
I am concerned to learn that the Supreme Court of the U.S. will hear a case from oil and gas companies seeking to avoid responsibility for their climate-related damage to states’ environment and infrastructure (“Supreme Court agrees to hear from oil and gas companies”). Municipalities are already paying billions for climate-related damages (wildfires, flooding, storms) that oil companies profited from while knowing the risks.
There is legal precedent, endorsed by SCOTUS, that ensures the states’ rights to adjudicate these cases. The court previously ruled in a 2021 case in California that appellate courts could review all grounds of lower courts’ orders. Five circuit courts affirmed that the cases should proceed in state court. SCOTUS refused the energy companies’ subsequent petition and allowed the cases to be sent back to state courts.
Local taxpayers should not bear the full financial burden of adaptation while fossil fuel corporations avoid accountability for decades of deception about climate science.
Allowing Boulder’s case to proceed sets a precedent that corporations cannot hide behind federal jurisdiction to escape responsibility for documented harms. SCOTUS should issue a rule consistent with its previous decision to let the state cases move forward.
Marvin Berkowitz
Needham
First responders
Nearly 200 first responders are killed annually in the line of duty protecting our lives and property. They are our police, firefighters and EMTs. They have been given a day of honor, which is Oct. 28. This day is unacceptable as it has no public recognition and is too close to Veterans Day for showing large public displays.
Until Congress changes the date my suggestion is that we can show them our respect by applauding these service members when marching by in full dress uniforms in all the large St Patrick’s Day parades we have in March, which is Irish-Heritage month
Why the Irish linkage? In the mid 1800’s when the Irish were immigrating to the U.S. they were greeted with NINA — No Irish Need Apply — so they accepted the dangerous jobs of police and firefighting.
Congress needs to change the date to possibly one in April or May and adopt March as a secondary means.
Bob Sweeney
Warwick, RI
Trump resistance
Re: “Battenfeld: Massachusetts Democrats blinded by Trump hatred in Iran ‘war’ .”
It is a Democratic habit now – anything Trump does, regardless of its intrinsic value, must be vigorously resisted. These liberals are allying with our sworn enemies. They lack the vision and courage to do what is manifestly right not only for America, but for our allies in the Middle East and Europe and, indeed, for all of Western civilization. That is how immense the stakes are when a radical theocratic regime valuing death targets the West with nuclear weapons. The idea that the threat was not imminent is fatuous nonsense; do we prefer atomic bombs on a launching pad before acting?
Paul Bloustein
Cincinnati, Ohio
