Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation are raising concerns that President Donald Trump’s executive order, which challenges state climate policies affecting the fossil fuel industry, could delay Multnomah County’s significant $52 billion climate lawsuit against major oil companies.
Signed in April, the Protecting American Energy from State Overreach Executive Order grants U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi the authority to take action against state and local laws that address climate change, including initiatives related to environmental justice and greenhouse gas emissions.
In response to the order, seven members of Oregon’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators and five Democratic House representatives, sent a letter to the Trump administration, urging for the order’s repeal. They argue that the executive order could provide total immunity for oil companies, undermining accountability for the damage attributed to fossil fuel consumption.
The letter admonished the order as an “unprecedented and illegal attempt to undermine states’ sovereignty” in implementing their own laws to protect the public.
By rescinding the executive order, the delegation emphasized the need for state and local governments to hold polluters accountable for the environmental costs of their actions.
Multnomah County filed the civil lawsuit two years after a deadly heat dome incident that scorched the Pacific Northwest, resulting in hundreds of lives lost across the U.S. and Canada.
The extreme heat event lasted a week, with temperatures reaching record highs and causing 72 heat-related deaths in Multnomah County alone. Notably, most of these fatalities involved individuals found alone in homes without air-conditioning units.
According to reports, the heat wave, which some researchers assert was virtually impossible without human influence on climate change, highlighted the severe consequences of fossil fuel usage. The lawsuit against oil companies, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, accuses them of irresponsibly profiting from fossil fuel products while misleading the public about their environmental harm.
Multnomah County commissioners articulated that the lawsuit aimed not only for accountability but also sought compensation for damages incurred during the heat dome and financial resources for future extreme weather preparations driven by climate change.
Governor Tina Kotek of Oregon has reiterated her administration’s commitment to upholding state climate action laws despite the president’s executive order.
The lawsuit’s co-counsel, Roger Worthington, noted that the executive order raises numerous legal and constitutional issues, including concerns over state rights and an overreach that attempts to bypass established state tort laws without legislative authority.
To date, Multnomah County has filed responses to 26 opposition briefs related to motions by fossil fuel companies to dismiss the case. The defendants are expected to counter these briefs, a process that may prolong the case. A critical deadline for responses is set for October 7.
The presiding judge has the discretion to either move the case forward to trial, which could take several months, or to dismiss it altogether.
Should the case progress, Worthington expressed confidence that the legal framework supports the claims for damages incurred due to climate change, making it possible to present findings to a jury for deliberation.
Achieving such a trial represents a vital aim for Multnomah County, as officials seek to present evidence and expert testimonies regarding the fossil fuel industry’s impact on the climate.
Among the 25 defendants listed in the lawsuit is NW Natural, Oregon’s largest gas utility, which services over 2.5 million residents across the Pacific Northwest. When asked about the congressional letter and the implications of the executive order on the county’s lawsuit, a representative from NW Natural declined to comment.
The company was added to the lawsuit a year after the original filing, facing accusations of contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and carbon pollution, in addition to spreading misinformation about the harmful impacts of carbon emissions on climate health.
Currently, there are 29 climate accountability lawsuits throughout the United States targeting fossil fuel companies, reflecting a growing trend in holding these corporations accountable for their contributions to climate change.
Upon issuing the executive order, President Donald Trump required Bondi to report within 60 days on whether enforcement actions should be halted against state initiatives aimed at the fossil fuel industry. However, it remains unclear whether this deadline was met.
As developments unfold, the tension between state efforts to address climate change and federal directives continues to evolve, exemplifying the ongoing struggle for environmental accountability and justice.
image source from：opb
