A group of young people in Utah is suing the state, saying its permitting of fossil fuels violates their rights to life, health, and safety.
The lawsuit, Roberts v. Board of Oil, Gas, and Mining, is being brought in the Third Judicial District Court in Salt Lake City. The defendants are the Utah Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining, along with the agency’s board and its director.
The case is building on a previous climate lawsuit, Natalie R. v. State of Utah, and includes many of the same plaintiffs, whose ages range between 13 and 22. On March 20, 2025, the Utah Supreme Court dismissed the case, saying that the plaintiffs’ claims were rendered moot…