Oregon county wins ruling to keep climate accountability case in state court

In another win for communities seeking to hold Big Oil accountable for climate lies, a federal court ruled this week that an Oregon county’s lawsuit against Exxon, Chevron, Shell, and other fossil fuel companies can move forward in state court. 

The U.S. District Court of Oregon rejected fossil fuel companies’ arguments to stop the case from advancing in state court, where it was originally filed, continuing an unbroken streak of victories for state and local governments on this key jurisdictional issue. 

Multnomah County made history last summer when it sued a score of fossil fuel companies to hold them accountable for decades of climate deception and make them pay for fueling the deadly 2021 heat dome in the Pacific Northwest. The extreme heat event, which scientists said was “virtually impossible without human-caused climate change,” killed 69 county residents and more than 116 Oregonians. Multnomah County’s lawsuit calls on the fossil fuel companies to pay more than $51 billion for past and future climate damages.
 

Lawyers representing the county noted that the oil companies will likely continue to appeal and delay Multnomah County’s case every chance they have — just like they have in cases throughout the country — but the County is ready to keep pushing for accountability.

 “We look forward to the time when a jury will decide this case and deliver a resounding verdict,” said Jeffrey Simon, of Simon Greenstone & Panatier, co-counsel for Multnomah County. “For every day they tie us up with tenuous appeals, and avoid discovery while continuing to profit from their deception, justice remains delayed, and thereby denied.”