STRAIT OF HORMUZ OPENS; U.S. BLOCKADE OF IRAN REMAINS 4A
N O L A.C O M
|
S at u r d ay, a p r i l 18, 2026
$2.00X
Ruling undermines $745M Chevron verdict
Lawsuit against Nyx settled Former krewe members to split $90,000
BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer
STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Friday undermined a huge jury verdict from Plaquemines Parish that found Chevron responsible for tearing up the state’s coastal marshes in search of fossil fuels.
Justices’ decision affects many cases against oil companies BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON — A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Friday undermined a huge jury verdict from Plaquemines Parish that found oil giant Chevron responsible for tearing up the state’s coastal marshes in search of fossil fuels. The 8-0 decision, written by Justice Clarence Thomas in Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, is a narrow rul-
ing on a technical legal issue. It says an appeals court erred when it denied Chevron’s request to move its case into federal courts, rather than decide the case in state district courts. The ruling has implications for many other Louisiana lawsuits that seek to make oil companies pay for alleged pollution and hastened erosion along the coastline. Justice Samuel Alito, the ninth member of the high court, didn’t participate
because he owned stock in one of the energy companies. Thomas and the justices found that lower courts and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals incorrectly interpreted the federal removal law. The case was returned to the 5th Circuit. The justices didn’t look directly at a $745 million state district court jury verdict in Plaquemines Parish against
ä See RULING, page 5A
After public controversy nixed the Mystic Krewe of Nyx from New Orleans’ Carnival parade calendar several years ago, its members are now being paid a settlement from a class-action lawsuit filed against the organization and its leader. Nyx was the largest parade in Mardi Gras history in 2018, with 44 floats and more than 3,300 riders. But six years ago, members fled the all-female organization in droves, leaving the krewe in shambles. Nyx’s last parade was in 2024, after which it was cut from the Mardi Gras lineup and disappeared — except in the courts, thanks to a lawsuit brought by former members seeking a refund of their dues. The case was settled in January, with the Mystic Krewe of Nyx agreeing to pay $90,000 to cover claims without accepting blame. In the past few weeks, the Nyx sisters, as krewe members were known, have received payments of $260.50 each. The exact number of members paid does not appear in court documents. The class-action lawsuit accused krewe Captain Julie Lea and associates of a laundry list of offenses
ä See NYX, page 4A
Belle Chasse shipyard gets piece of tugboat contract Charles. joint venture that was awardC&C Marine At a news conference sur- ed the contract to operate the by state and local tugboats for Woodside. and Repair to build rounded The deal is the latest ecoofficials on Friday, Gov. Jeff Landry announced that C&C nomic development win from 4 vessels Marine and Repair’s Belle Landry’s administration,
BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer
A Plaquemines Parish shipyard has landed a piece of a $300 million contract to build tugboats that will guide tankers in and out of Woodside Energy’s massive liquefied natural gas export terminal under construction near Lake
WEATHER HIGH 85 LOW 59 PAGE 6C
Chasse shipyard will build four new diesel-electric hybrid tugs for the $17.5 billion LNG facility, which is expected to be completed in 2029. The deal is expected to create about 60 construction jobs at C&C, officials with Louisiana Economic Development said. Another 40 permanent jobs will be created by the
which has aggressively courted industrial megaprojects in the energy, manufacturing and technology infrastructure sectors. Landry touted the Australian petroleum company’s commitment to build the boats in-state as evidence that
ä See CONTRACT, page 5A
Gov. Jeff Landry, center, reacts Friday after welding on a boat keel during an event at C&C Marine and Repair in Belle Chasse. Landry announced that Woodside Energy has awarded a $300 million contract to Louisiana-based Green Tug Towing to build four new tugboats to be built at C&C for its liquefied STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE natural gas project.
Business ......................5B Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Classified .....................5D Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C Comics-Puzzles .....1D-4D Nation-World................2A
13TH yEAR, NO. 249