Attorney General Curtis Hill announced today that Indiana is leading a 15-state coalition in support of a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the cities of San Francisco and Oakland against various energy and manufacturing companies. Indiana is joined by Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming in the amicus brief.

Attorney General Hill issued the following statement regarding the matter:

“California localities cannot dictate national energy policy or curb economic activity that occurs outside California. Unfortunately, we have seen a trend of certain states drifting farther and farther away from real America. This is just the most recent example.

“We will let our amicus brief speak for itself at the courthouse. However, this matter should be dismissed because the suit filed by California municipalities is not about the law; rather, it is about circumventing separations of power and using California judges as the arbiters of national energy policy. New York City and various Colorado municipalities have filed copycat actions.

“While today California cities sue energy manufacturers to make up for massive deficits, tomorrow we could see suits against other job creators.

“Our amicus brief should send a loud message that the rest of the nation will not stand idle while California tries to become its own regulatory empire.”

Attached, see the amicus brief filed April 19.