On June 22, Multomah County, Oregon filed a
lawsuit seeking billions in damages from 17 of the largest fossil fuel companies
over the 2021 heat dome. The county retained our office along with the
law firm Simon, Greenstone, Panatier and Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost
to hold these fossil fuel companies accountable for the damages inflicted
from one of the most deadly and destructive human-made weather disasters.
L to R. Shree Patel, James Coon, John Caron, Roger Worthington, Ray Thomas
and Chris Thomas
 According to the county
Press Release
“The heat dome was a direct and foreseeable consequence of the Defendants’
decision to sell as many fossil fuel products over the last six decades
as they could and to lie to the County, the public, and the scientific
community about the catastrophic harm.”
|
Resolution declaring climate change a
Public Nuisance and authorizing The Office Of County Attorney to pursue legal remedies
for damages caused by Climate Change. Thursday, June 22, 2023. See the
resolution:
MC Resolution
|
Roger W. “Yes, the scientists tell us we are at or near the Tipping
Point. To prepare for, and mitigate, and acclimate to a hotter world,
with more frequent and intense Heat Domes, wildfires and droughts. We
are going to need to weatherize, weatherproof, install Air Conditioners,
and air filters, and retrofit the way we live, work and play to survive
a hotter climate.”
"The heat dome that cost so much life and loss was not a natural weather
event. It did not just happen because life can be cruel, nor can it be
rationalized as simply a mystery of God's will."
J. Simon
“We are confident that once we show what the fossil fuel companies
knew about global warming and when and what they did to deny, delay and
deceive the public, the jury will not let the fossil fuel companies get
away with their reckless misconduct.”
Multnomah County sues oil companies over 2021 Heat Dome disaster press
conference
"This lawsuit is about accountability and fairness, and I believe
the people of Multnomah County deserve both. These businesses knew their
products were unsafe and harmful, and they lied about it,"
V. Pederson
Chair of the Board of Commissioners Jessica Vega Pederson leads the bridge walk.
"We will show that fossil fuel-induced global warming is already costing
Oregonians lives and treasure. We will show that the normal use of fossil
fuel products over time has imposed massive external, unpriced and untraded
social, economic and environmental costs on the County."
R. Worthington
Vega Pederson and Roger Worthington
We don't want a payoff. We want to get paid back.
Big Oil Lied.
People Died.
_______________________________
NEW YORK TIMES
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