Posted on 04/07/2025 7:18:45 AM PDT by Twotone
A $744 million jury verdict in Louisiana is at the center of a coordinated legal effort to force oil companies to pay billions of dollars to ameliorate the erosion of land in Louisiana, offset climate change and more.
Proponents say the payments are overdue, but critics say the lawsuits will hike energy costs for all Americans and are wrongly supplanting the state and federal regulatory framework already in place.
In the Louisiana case in question, Plaquemines Parish sued Chevron alleging that oil exploration off the coast decades ago led to the erosion of Louisiana’s coastline.
A jury ruled Friday that Chevron must pay $744 million in damages.
The Louisiana case is just one of dozens of environmental cases around the country that could have a dramatic – and costly – impact on American energy consumers.
While each environmental case has its own legal nuances and differing arguments, the lawsuits are usually backed by one of a handful of the same law firms that have partnered with local and state governments. In Louisiana, attorney John Carmouche has led the charge.
"If somebody causes harm, fix it," Carmouche said to open his arguments.
Environmental arguments of this nature have struggled to succeed in federal courts, but they hope for better luck in state courts, as the Louisiana case was.
Those damages for exploration come as President Donald Trump is urging greater domestic oil production in the U.S. to help lower energy costs for Americans.
Daniel Erspamer, CEO of the Pelican Institute, told The Center Square that the Louisiana case could go to the U.S. Supreme Court, as Chevron is expected to appeal.
(Excerpt) Read more at justthenews.com ...
Total Insanity!
So a state that is virtually a swamp gets swampier because of dredging from oil exploration activities.
Next suit: Henry Ford sued for Billions as his invention facilitated Drive-By shootings.
Don’t laugh. With the right JURY this is a slam dunk.
If visible physical harm occurred, payup. But, anything related to global warming crappola ought to act as a poison pill in any case — causing it to be thrown out in its entirety. It is conflation. Invalidate it.
Ecuador tried the same garbage with Chevron. Took years, but Chevron showed that it was nothing more than a protectionist racket.
Louisiana’s revenue from Oil makes it a partner and it’s suing itself ?
The oil companies dredged canals to have access to drill sites with barge rigs. During hurricanes, this allowed salt water to enter the marshes and kill the vegetation. Then, erosion occurs.
Why not make the lineage of the Huey P. Long family pay for it!! Their royalties from the “Win or Lose Corporation” stole billions in oil royalties from land owned by the state of Louisiana?
Some parishes in Louisiana have a history of allowing bogus cases for small amounts to go forward. For example, some guy might sue a national food company for $50, claiming he found an insect in their product.
The company settles rather than send a lawyer down there for $50.
But $744 million? That’s a whole new ball game.
Okay, let’s figure out who is really to blame for any environmental damages. Did Chevron just drill for oil anywhere they wanted to? No, they needed a PERMIT issued by the state of Louisiana. No permit, no chance for damages. Also, let’s follow the money made from this drilling. I would bet that the state of Louisiana has made more money from this drilling for oil that THEY happily permitted than has Chevron over the years. In addition, which party sat on their behinds all these years making money from Chevron financed oil exploration while all of this environmental harm has been taking place? The greedy state of Louisiana, that’s who. But let’s take Chevron to court.
The EPA has encouraged any number of similar cases. So far they all have been thrown out, as they should be. This one probably will too.
“ During hurricanes, this allowed salt water to enter the marshes …”
Wouldn’t a storm surge push salt water upstream anyway, no matter the depth of the canal? Surges are above sea level, and the marshes are essentially at sea level down there.
One or two feet above sea level can make all the difference. We are talking several miles in from the coast.
The oil companies dredged canals to have access to drill sites with barge rigs. During hurricanes, this allowed salt water to enter the marshes and kill the vegetation. Then, erosion occurs.>>> Thank you for that info. Did they do this with so called local/federal/ permits or on their own?
These wells would either be on private or state lands. The Louisiana DNR gives the drilling permits. No one drills a well in any state without a permit. Offshore beyond three miles, you deal with the feds.
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