A New Jersey county has filed a lawsuit against major oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil, BP, and Chevron, to recover costs from climate change impacts such as worsening flooding.
The lawsuit was filed just days before the U.S. Supreme Court reviews Boulder, Colorado’s climate case against big oil, a decision that could halt similar legal actions.
Middlesex County’s lawsuit follows similar legal actions by the state of New Jersey and the city of Hoboken. The lawsuit alleges decades of climate deception that have worsened the county’s climate impacts, costing hundreds of millions.
“This lawsuit is crucial to protect our communities from extreme weather,” Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios stated. “Our residents bear the costs of flooding and rising protection expenses. We seek compensation.”
Despite the looming Supreme Court ruling, county officials are undeterred. “Middlesex County is ready to proceed once the Supreme Court decides,” Rios noted via email. “We must act for our residents.”
The American Petroleum Institute labeled the lawsuit “baseless,” asserting it’s part of a “coordinated campaign” against an essential industry. “Climate policy should be decided in Congress, not courts,” said API senior vice president Ryan Meyers.
Other defendants did not comment.
Middlesex County, New Jersey’s second most populous, has faced over 60 significant floods linked to storms and heavy rainfall, causing $500 million in property damage. Major storms such as Irene, Sandy, and Ida resulted in nearly $200 million in damages.
The lawsuit follows a nor’easter that recently hit the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including New Jersey. Some towns in Middlesex County recorded over 4 inches of rain. Scientists link rising sea levels to worsened flooding.
The county also experienced more extreme heat days and poor air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke.
“Middlesex County is suffering from ongoing climate disasters,” the complaint claims. “These effects will persist as long as the climate crisis continues.”
The lawsuit alleges nuisance, trespass, negligence, and Consumer Fraud Act violations.
Over two dozen similar cases have been filed against major fossil fuel companies in recent years. The lawsuits cite evidence from investigations by Inside Climate News showing companies like Exxon concealed fossil fuel risks.
The Supreme Court will soon hear arguments in the Suncor v. Boulder case, involving Boulder’s claims against Suncor and ExxonMobil. Companies argue federal law should preempt these claims. A decision favoring Suncor could impact lawsuits like Middlesex County’s.
“The decision will greatly affect communities funding climate adaptation,” Pat Parenteau, emeritus professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School, wrote in The Conversation. “A ruling for Suncor could end many climate-deception lawsuits, leaving the public to cover billions in climate costs.”
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org