Oregon’s most populous county, Multnomah County, which is home to Portland, has taken a significant step in the fight against climate change. The county has added the state’s largest natural gas utility, NW Natural, to its existing $51.5 billion climate lawsuit against fossil fuel companies. This lawsuit aims to hold these companies accountable for their role in the deadly 2021 heat-dome event that devastated the Pacific Northwest.
Last year, Multnomah County filed the initial lawsuit, alleging that the carbon emissions from these companies contributed to the extreme heat event that broke temperature records and led to the tragic deaths of around 800 people in Oregon, Washington state, and British Columbia. By including NW Natural in the lawsuit, the county is highlighting the utility’s responsibility for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon and accusing it of misleading the public about the harmful effects of these emissions.
NW Natural, which serves approximately 2 million people across the Pacific Northwest, has stated that it is unable to provide detailed comments until it has thoroughly reviewed the claims. The company believes that these new claims are an attempt to divert attention from the legal and factual issues in the case and has expressed its intention to vigorously defend itself against the County’s allegations in court.
This move marks the first time a gas utility has been implicated in a climate deception lawsuit alongside fossil fuel companies. The Center for Climate Integrity reports that there are over two dozen similar lawsuits filed by various state, local, and tribal governments across the United States.
In addition to NW Natural, the amended complaint also includes the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine as a defendant. This research group, known for its stance against the concept of human-caused global warming, was added to the lawsuit for its role in climate misinformation.
Multnomah County is seeking $51.5 billion in damages to cover the costs of responding to the impacts of extreme heat, wildfires, and drought. County chair Jessica Vega Pederson emphasised the need to address the climate crisis and protect the community from its consequences, stating, “We’re already paying dearly in Multnomah County for our climate crisis — with our tax dollars, with our health and with our lives.”
While ExxonMobil and Chevron have previously dismissed the claims in the lawsuit, stating that they do not address climate change effectively, Shell has reiterated its commitment to reducing emissions and emphasised the importance of a collaborative approach involving government policy and collective action to combat climate change.
The case is currently pending in Multnomah County Circuit Court, representing a crucial legal battle in the ongoing efforts to hold fossil fuel companies and associated entities accountable for their contributions to climate change and its devastating consequences.