Alternate headline: State Which Was Built On Fossil Fuels And Can’t Survive Without Them Looks To Shakedown Oil Companies
N.J. sues Exxon, Chevron over damages related to climate change
Decades-long deception by ExxonMobil, Chevron and other fossil fuel companies has exacerbated climate change and forced the state of New Jersey to pay billions of dollars to clean up after deadly disasters such as Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Ida, according to a new lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The complaint filed in state court makes New Jersey the latest state or municipality to target major oil companies in an attempt to force them to help pay for the damages incurred by the severe weather made worse by climate change.
Dozens of similar suits have been filed across the country in recent years claiming the companies knew for decades about the dangers of burning oil and gas, but instead engaged in deceptive campaigns to sustain the market for fossil fuels.
New Jersey alleges that a deceptive campaign has had particularly severe impacts for the Garden State. It paid billions to clean up after Superstorm Sandy and to fortify its shores from future storms. Thirty residents died when climate-exacerbated Hurricane Ida swept through in 2021 and poorer communities with large populations such as Newark and Atlantic City are at direct risk of flooding, the suit said.
Sandy was not caused by fossil fuels, nor was Ida. Do we want to blame the huge winter storms last year on your use of fossil fuels? Fossil fuels sure were helpful in cleaning up after the storms. Really, NJ won’t survive without fossil fuels. All the airports, the commuting, the travel to places like the Jersey Shore, Atlantic City, all the fishing ships, watercraft for fun. And all the ships bringing goods into the state and shipping them out. NJ is a central travel point for so much requiring fossil fueled vehicles and big rigs. Not too mention all the refineries in the Newark area.
Will NJ’s AG Matthew J. Platkin be giving up his own fossil fueled travel? How about the governor? And all the people in the AG’s office? Of course not. This is a shakedown, and, so far, most of the fossil fueled companies have refused to play ball. Platkin will have to prove it in court, which will be rather difficult. And, let’s just say the state wins: what happens next? Well, the companies will pull their operations from the state. And you know who suffers? The working and middle class folks. And what’s left will be very expensive.
There will soon be a lot of vacant real estate in Perth Amboy…
Those companies should immediately stop selling fuel to the state government of New Jersey, at the very least, and maybe to everyone in the Garden State.
OK New Jersey and all end oilers, time for you to put your money where your mouths are. Divest yourselves of everything made possible by fossil fuels immediately. Uh, oh. If you did you’d all be dead within 2 weeks.
Case Dismissed!
Haha
Rightwingers always create that weak straw man argument of expecting Greenies to be 100% pure. If you think abortion is murder at any stage, why aren’t you firebombing pharmacies that sell Plan B chemical abortions? Or demanding aid to Israel stop because they state fund abortions ??
The USA has reduced it’s carbon footprint 25% since 2005 and is steadily dropping at 1%per year as obsolete coal coal plants reach the end of their service life 50years) and are replaced by solar and wind. That 1% reduction will either continue or increase as technology in generation and storage increases. Contracts for renewable energy generation typically sell for about 7 cents per kWh. Rightwingers just love to see their friends in Russia and Gulf Arabs setting the price of what they pay for gasoline in the USA.
Teach’s Sleepy Joe and China Joe has been replaced by the Dark Brandon. Putin was put in the place a dictator should be in, not like Trump fan boi of Putin and Kim
OMG !! Good is up 15%!! But food costs are usually 15% of an American budget
So 15% of 15% equals what percent increase? Bonus points available for determine whether that weekly increase is greater or less than a large cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts
Teach, you may use your calculator if necessary.
Love your math skills, Johnnie boy.
