by Matthew Hamilton
Times Union

Two conservative environmental legal groups are suing the state attorney general for communications connected to an ongoing climate change-related investigation into Exxon Mobil at the same time Republicans on a congressional committee also are seeking similar documents.

The Washington-based Free Market Environmental Law Clinic and Energy and Environment Legal Institute announced on Monday that they have filed suit in state Supreme Court in Manhattan seeking the communications between state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and eight individuals, including environmental group executives, the California attorney general and a top Schneiderman staffer. The groups took such action after a freedom of information request seeking correspondence mentioning words that include energy, fossil, climate and fraud were denied by Schneiderman’s office, which cited confidentiality and protected intra-agency materials.

A hearing is set for Sept. 1.

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