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.
Read: NJ Sues Fossil Fuels Companies Over ‘Climate Change’ »