ExxonKnews
July 12, 2023
Almost two years ago, Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan stood in Burlington to announce that his office was suing Exxon, Shell, the American Petroleum Institute, and other oil and gas giants for decades of climate deception that delayed action and created costly and hazardous conditions for Vermont residents. The scale of those costs and hazards was brought into sharp focus this week when communities throughout Vermont were devastated by floods made worse by climate change.
For those who might not think the Green Mountain State is on the front lines of the climate crisis, the events of this week showed that no community is safe. Towns throughout Vermont received more than 8 inches of rain between Sunday and Monday, prompting catastrophic flooding that roared through tiny communities and into peoples homes. Water rescues and evacuations took place as roadways turned to rivers. By Tuesday morning, the state’s capital city of Montpelier was so inundated that people were kayaking downtown. Roads were so impassable that Governor Phil Scott had to hike to the state’s emergency response center. Then, a dam threatened to burst.
