US: Multnomah County sues fuel companies for $51 billion over 'Heat Dome' disaster

Multnomah, a county in the northwestern state of Oregon, filed a lawsuit against prominent oil companies over the 'Heat Dome' disaster in 2021. The county is seeking$51 billion over one of the deadliest weather-related disasters in the United States.

Multnomah encompasses Portland, the state's most populous city. It blamed the oil companies for misleading the public about the impact of carbon pollution from using their products. They claimed that it was a leading factor in aggravating the heat wave.

The county asked for $50 billion in current damages from the Heat Dome and $1.5 billion for future damages as excessive heat, drought, wildfires, and smoky skies become more common. The county also asked for a much higher amount for a long-term abatement fund to upgrade its infrastructure.

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"This is an event that is directly attributed to the impacts that we are seeing on our climate because of the actions of fossil fuel companies and their agencies that have been pressing for decades to deny climate science," County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson told AFP.

Multnomah County has named several oil firms in their lawsuit, including ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, and BP. It hasalso mentioned the American Petroleum Institute, Western States Petroleum Association and McKinsey & Company. In 2021, the county recorded high temperatures causing the death of 69 people, extensive property damage, and significant expenditure of taxpayer money.

The record-breaking heat wave caused a maximum temperature of 49.6 degreeCelsius in Lytton, British Columbia and baked the western United States and Canada. Around 1,400 people died during the heat wave. According to an analysis by the World Weather Attribution group, the phenomenon was impossible without human-caused climate change.

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As per the lawsuit, the Heat Dome was a "direct and foreseeable consequence" of the decision of oil companies to sell too many products over the last six decades.

An ExxonMobil spokesperson has responded to the lawsuit and said, "Suits like these continue to waste time, resources, and do nothing to address climate change." He added, "This action has no impact on our intention to invest billions of dollars to leading the way in a thoughtful energy transition that takes the world to net zero carbon emissions."

As per the reports by Bangkok Post, Chevron lawyers called such lawsuits "counterproductive distractions from advancing international policy solutions".

"The federal Constitution bars these novel, baseless claims that target one industry and group of companies engaged in lawful activity that provides tremendous benefits to society," the Chevron counsel stated.

(With inputs from agencies)

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