New Jersey officials announced Tuesday that the state has filed suit against five fossil fuel companies, accusing the multinationals of a pattern of “obfuscation and delay” that “lasted decades” in deceiving residents and ultimately resulting in catastrophic storm and flood damage.
“In fact, 10 years ago next Tuesday, Superstorm Sandy made landfall leaving behind a trail of devastation the likes of which the state has never seen,” Matthew Platkin, New Jersey’s attorney general, said during the announcement at Liberty State Park. “I know many of you do not need a reminder of Sandy’s impact … which brings us to why we’re here today.
The state is seeking unspecified compensation and is asking the court, “to order the defendants to stop their lying.” Casey Norton, a spokesperson for Exxon Mobil, said in an email that, “Legal proceedings like this waste millions of dollars of taxpayer money and do nothing to advance meaningful actions that reduce the risks of climate change. ExxonMobil will continue to invest in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while meeting society’s growing demand for energy.”
“So within 10 years,” LaTourette said, “New Jersey experienced two of the most devastating life altering storms in our history. And that’s in no small part because of our state’s our nation’s, and indeed the world’s, addiction to fossil fuels.”
I wonder what temperature Phil Murphy sets his pool heater to.