Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt and the attorney generals of 11 other states have filed a lawsuit seeking documents involving the Environmental Protection Agency's legal strategy with environmental groups.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City comes after the states filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act seeking documents related to a strategy referred to as "sue and settle." The agency allegedly employs the tactic as a way to settle lawsuits with environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, WildEarth Guardians and the Sierra Club, without allowing state involvement.
In some instances, the EPA entered a consent decree the same day a lawsuit was filed by the special interest group.
