Maine becomes latest state to sue oil companies over climate change

KARAH RUCKER: Maine just became the latest state to sue major fossil fuel companies over climate change. The Pine Tree State alleges the companies deceived the public about the effects fossil fuels had on the environment.

The state wants damages dating back to the 1960s, when the state says the companies first learned about what fossil fuels could do to the climate. It’s also seeking money for climate adaptation.

Maine attorney general Aaron Frey said, “For over half a century, these companies chose to fuel profits instead of following their science to prevent what are now likely irreversible, catastrophic climate effects.”

Maine is particularly dependent on oil for home heating – over half of the state’s houses rely on oil over electricity or alternative fuels.

ExxonMobil raised that point in its response to the lawsuit, adding “These baseless claims ignore the state’s historic dependence on oil and natural gas, do nothing to address the risks of climate change and waste taxpayer dollars.”

Maine joins eight other states — California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island — and the District of Columbia who have pending climate lawsuits against oil companies.

But many government-related climate lawsuits have struggled. New York tried a different legal approach with its suit against ExxonMobil in 2019. They said the company misled investors about climate-related costs and brought securities fraud charges. A judge threw that suit out.

The city of Baltimore filed a lawsuit similar to what many states have filed. In July, a state judge dismissed that suit, saying state courts were not the place to settle the case and that Maryland’s laws didn’t have power over emissions that occurred outside the state.

For Straight Arrow News, I’m Karah Rucker.

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