John Bel Edwards Files Amicus Brief Supporting Plaquemines Parish in U.S. Supreme Court Case Involving Coastal Restoration

On November 20, 2025, Fishman Haygood Special Counsel and former Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards filed an amicus curiae brief in the Supreme Court of the United States in support of Plaquemines Parish in its lawsuit against Chevron USA, Inc. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on January 12, 2026. Read more coverage on Nola.com.

During his tenure as governor, John Bel made coastal restoration a top priority, declaring a state of emergency in response to accelerating land loss and overseeing more than $15 billion in coastal restoration investments. Consistent with that longstanding commitment, the amicus brief addresses the legal and policy importance of allowing Louisiana’s coastal restoration claims to proceed in state court.

The underlying litigation was brought by Louisiana coastal parishes under the State and Local Coastal Resources Management Act of 1978 (SLCRMA), seeking to hold oil and gas companies accountable under state law for damage allegedly caused by decades of drilling, dredging, and waste-removal activities along Louisiana’s coast. Chevron and other petitioners argue that the cases should be removed from Louisiana state courts to federal court under the federal-officer removal statute.

The amicus urges the Court to reject that argument and allow the cases to proceed in Louisiana courts, emphasizing that the claims concern unpermitted use of state land—not federal wartime activity or federal contracting.

The brief emphasizes that Louisiana’s rapidly disappearing coastline—eroding at a rate of approximately one football field every hour and a half—poses a serious threat to communities, industries, and critical infrastructure across the state. It underscores that coastal protection is a nonpartisan issue and that, under Louisiana law, any damages recovered in these cases must be dedicated exclusively to coastal restoration projects.

As the brief notes, “Notwithstanding petitioners’ insinuations to the contrary, there is no reason to doubt the fairness or impartiality of the Louisiana citizens serving on parish juries. Louisiana is the nation’s second largest producer of oil and gas. Coastal residents are hardly hostile to the industry.”

Fishman Haygood is proud to support efforts that seek both fair, lawful solutions to one of Louisiana’s most urgent challenges and that enhance the state economy to foster business activity.