A Louisiana jury has ordered Chevron to pay more than $744 million in damages for destroying parts of the state's coastal wetlands through its oil and gas operations, The Guardian reported.
What happened?
The jury found that Texaco, now owned by Chevron, violated state regulations by contributing to the disappearing coastline through dredging canals, drilling wells, and dumping massive amounts of wastewater into the marsh.
The verdict included $575 million for land loss, $161 million for contamination, and $8.6 million for abandoned equipment.
This verdict concludes the first of 42 lawsuits filed about 12 years ago that claimed oil companies have degraded the region's crucial natural barriers.
"Our communities are built on coast, our families raised on coast, our children go to school on coast," Jimmy Faircloth Jr., an attorney representing Louisiana, told jurors during the trial. "The state of Louisiana will not surrender the coast. It's for the good of the state that the coast be maintained."
Chevron plans to appeal the decision, with company attorney Mike Phillips saying the ruling was "unjust" and contained "numerous legal errors."
Why is wetland destruction concerning?
Louisiana's coastal wetlands are among the most critically endangered environments in the country. From 1932 to 2016, coastal Louisiana lost approximately 25% of its wetland area, more wetland loss than all other continental states combined.
These wetlands provide hurricane protection for communities. When oil companies cut canals for transportation routes, they disrupt natural water flow and create direct pathways for storm surges to reach inland areas during severe weather.
Louisiana could lose another 3,000 square miles of coastal wetlands without intervention over the next 50 years, according to the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.
For you and your community, vanishing wetlands mean less protection from increasingly powerful storms and floods that threaten homes, infrastructure, and local ecosystems.
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For sure 👍 What's being done about wetland destruction?
The landmark verdict might prompt other oil companies facing similar lawsuits to reach settlements rather than risk trial, potentially funding larger restoration efforts.
Louisiana law requires oil companies to restore their sites "as near as practicable to their original condition" after projects end, providing legal leverage for communities seeking environmental remediation.
Plaquemines Parish, which brought this case against Chevron, has 20 additional pending cases against other oil companies that could further support wetland restoration.
You can help by supporting local conservation organizations working to restore coastal wetlands, staying informed about industrial development in sensitive ecosystems near you, and voting for candidates who prioritize environmental protection and corporate accountability.
Community-driven restoration projects, including marsh replanting initiatives and efforts to re-establish natural water flow patterns, are already making progress in rebuilding these natural buffers.
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