Greenpeace Prevails Over Canadian Logging Company Resolute RICO Lawsuit Dismissed by Federal Court
WASHINGTON – A federal judge in San Francisco dismissed a racketeering case brought against environmental organizations Greenpeace and Stand.earth by Resolute, a Canadian logging company. The court awarded fees to the defendants, applying California’s anti-SLAPP statute prohibiting lawsuits intended to silence critics by embroiling them in baseless cases with high legal costs.
Resolute sued Greenpeace and Stand.earth after the advocacy organizations were critical of Resolute’s forestry practices in Canada’s boreal forest, one of the world’s last great forests.
The following is a statement by Anthony Swift, Director of the Canada Project for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):
“We are jubilant that Resolute, the bullies of the Canadian logging industry, have failed to silence organizations committed to protecting Canada’s boreal forest. This decision reinforces that the free speech rights of public interest advocates are protected against bad actors who would rather file frivolous lawsuits than commit to sustainable forestry.”
Additional Resources:
- Public Interest Groups Condemn Resolute Suit in NYT Ad
- U.S. Marketplace Urged to Protect Canada’s Boreal Forest
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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.