As the midterm elections approach, the issue of climate change recently took center stage for as the Murphy Administration brought a lawsuit against five energy companies and a petroleum trade association on behalf of Garden State residents.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 18 by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin along with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) agency, claims the oil and gas companies knowingly made false claims to deceive the public about the existence of climate change and the degree to which fossil fuels products negatively contribute to global warming.
The suit, filed in New Jersey Superior Court in Mercer County by the 36-year-old Platkin, names as defendants Exxon Mobil Corporation, Shell Oil Company, Chevron Corporation, BP, Conocophillips, and the trade group in which these defendants were members, American Petroleum Institute (API).
Lawsuit Targets
According to the lawsuit, the state is attempting to hold the five energy companies and the petroleum trade association responsible for systematically concealing and denying that fossil fuel consumption could have a catastrophic impact on the climate.
“Based on their own research, these companies understood decades ago that their products were causing climate change and would have devastating environmental impacts down the road,” stated Platkin.
Climate Change
Platkin alleged that the companies and trade association went to great lengths to hide the truth and mislead not just the residents of New Jersey but the world.
An injunction is being sought as part of the lawsuit mandating the energy companies stop “deceiving” Garden State residents regarding the dangers of fossil fuels on the environment.
“In short, these companies put their profits ahead of our safety,” said Platkin. “It’s long overdue that the facts be aired in a New Jersey court, and the perpetrators of the disinformation campaign pay for the harms they’ve caused.”
Storm Recoveries
NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette offered that that the Garden State has been ground zero for some of the worst impacts of climate change.
“Our communities and environment are continually recovering from extreme heat, furious storms, and devastating floods,” said LaTourette. “These conditions will sadly only worsen in the decades ahead, leaving us scrambling to prepare for a parade of harmful climate changes.”
“Our Shore communities have had to rebuild boardwalk landmarks, construct large dunes and devise other engineering solutions to recover from and respond to devastating storms,” he added. “And some of our most vulnerable communities are now subjected to increasingly frequent bouts of significant flooding, with sometimes fatal consequences.”
Financial Penalties
To that end, the lawsuit seeks financial penalties and damages regarding the destruction to the wetlands and other natural habitats, alleging that taxpayers will eventually be responsible for bearing the high cost of protecting their communities due to rising sea levels, deadly storms, and other environmental hazards.
“While we rush to wean ourselves off the very products these companies have long known would fuel our pain…because keeping us addicted was better for their bottom line,” commented LaTourette. “It was wrong to mislead us; wrong to undermine climate science; wrong to put profit over people and the planet that we share. It is time New Jersey demands accountability.”
“It was not some error of omission. It was intentional.”
Effects of Fossil Fuels
At the heart of he legal action is the allegation that the oil and gas companies knew as early as the 1950s that fossil-fuel consumption would negatively impact the environment.
The state contends that internal documents produced by the energy companies reaffirmed that fact, and that fossil fuels would eventually cause “dramatic environmental effects,” even warning corporate executives that there was a narrow window of time to curb emissions and stave off “catastrophic” climate change.
“Our state is paying dearly for these defendants’ misrepresentations and failure to disclose the enormous detriments of their products. They should now help to shoulder that tremendous financial burden,” said Cari Fais, Consumer Affairs Acting Director.
