Mattwaoshshe v. United States

The federal district court for the District of Columbia granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that the court did not have personal jurisdiction over two of the defendants. In an attempt to establish personal jurisdiction, the plaintiffs argued that the wind power company proposing the project would eventually sell energy, clean energy credits, and carbon offset credits in the District of Columbia. The court ruled that these claims “do not have enough of a connection to the District of Columbia to establish long-arm jurisdiction.” The court dismissed claims against federal defendants for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over state law claims against another defendant.

Plaintiffs sued the federal government and energy developers to prevent the construction of wind turbines. They alleged, among other claims, that the government violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement. Plaintiffs alleged that the company's potential sale of carbon credits in Washington D.C. allows the court to establish personal jurisdiction in this case.