The largest natural gas utility company in Oregon is being sued by the state for misleading customers about the effects of climate change.
The suit is the first to be filed against a utility company for climate-related deception, as The New York Times reported.
What's happening?
NW Natural has been named by state officials in a $50 billion lawsuit against companies for climate-related deception and contribution to climate change.
The lawsuit claims that NW Natural, in addition to other companies that include Exxon and Shell, knowingly sold dirty energy products, like natural gas and oil, to customers while covering up and downplaying the adverse effects the products have on the environment. These companies are named as being complicit in a 2021 heat wave that killed at least 69 people, per the Times, and up to 72, per KOIN.
The lawsuit said that Multnomah County experienced more than $50 million in immediate damages, contributing to at least $1.5 billion in future economic damages. The lawsuit hopes to claim $50 billion to prevent further harm from climate-related disasters, per the Times.
Why is this lawsuit important?
According to experts, this is the first instance where a utility company is named in a lawsuit like this. The Center for Climate Integrity vice president of legal and general counsel, Alyssa Johl, told the Times that utility companies are "significant players in the historic and ongoing deception campaigns to mislead the public about the dangers of fossil fuels."
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While there are no other claims made against other utility companies, they do contribute to a large amount of harmful emissions. The Natural Resources Defense Council said that, per a CDP report, "100 energy companies have been responsible for 71% of all industrial emissions since human-driven climate change was officially recognized."
These harmful emissions can lead to an increase in heat waves and climate-related disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes. They can also contribute to air and water pollution, according to the NRDC.
"We're already paying dearly in Multnomah County for our climate crisis with our tax dollars, with our health and with our lives," Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said, per the Times.
NW Natural holds to its innocence in this case, according to a statement quoted by the Times: "We believe adding the company to the suit now is an attempt to divert attention from legal and factual flaws in the case. NW Natural will vigorously contest the county's claims should they come to court."
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What's being done about climate deception?
This lawsuit is one of many brought by attorneys general across the country. None have made it to trial because of the decision of whether they should be heard in state or federal courts. According to the New York Times, Republican-led states have also asked the Supreme Court to block these climate-related lawsuits.
On a personal level, you can avoid using dirty energy sources like natural gas by switching to solar energy or heat pumps, which can also save money on your electric bills. You can also learn more about greenwashing and avoid deceptive brands and companies.
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