By Nancy Hiser
The County leadership took a bold step in late June that made national news, announcing they are suing fossil fuel companies, including Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, and the American Petroleum Institute, for almost $52 billion dollars for their role in the massive heatwave in June 2021 when temperatures reached 116 degrees.
Lawyers representing the County allege that burning fossil fuel products leads to warming the earth because of greenhouse gas emissions and that contributed to the “heat dome” in which 96 Oregonians died, 69 of those living in Multnomah County. Records show there are usually zero heat-related deaths here. The suit demands $50 billion dollars in damages, $1.5 billion in future damages, and $50 billion to fund future costs related to climate change, claiming the fossil fuel companies “rapaciously sell fossil fuel products and deceptively promote them as harmless to the environment.”
County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announced the unanimous vote by County Commissioners to declare climate change a public nuisance as a measure of accountability and fairness for residents. Their lawyers stated the companies have known of the climate dangers since 1977, knew their products are not safe but lied to gain humongous profits at the expense of public suffering.
The county plans to conduct studies, improve public infrastructure and provide needed health care services to safeguard residents from extreme weather events. This suit is one of dozens nationwide that is attempting to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for continuing to market products that science shows are driving climate change.