Court clears way for suit on energy projects abroad

[Rose Siding]

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge has given a green light to a lawsuit filed by cities and environmental groups that contend the U.S. government's quest for oil abroad will promote significant climate change at home and across the globe.

The suit, filed by the California cities of Oakland, Santa Monica and Arcata, as well as Boulder, Colo., and the environmental groups Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, seeks to halt massive energy projects being developed on five continents until assessments are conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act.
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In a decision made public Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White denied the government's request for summary judgment. The ruling means the suit can proceed to a trial unless a higher court intervenes.

White said those suing had provided sufficient evidence of a threat to their "concrete interests" that might be averted if the environmental studies were performed.
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Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown characterized the case as a fight to enforce the law, saying the government's conduct "injures the citizens of Oakland and every person in this country."

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/nation/story/13469212p-14310129c.html