The state of California is suing the oil companies BP, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell and ConocoPhillips and their trade group, the American Petroleum Institute, over what the state says is a long-standing pattern of deceiving the public over the risks associated with fossil fuels and causing billions of dollars in damage to communities and the environment, according to a complaint filed Friday.
The lawsuit, which was filed by the state’s Attorney General Rob Bonta in San Francisco County Superior Court, claims the defendants have created a public nuisance, damaged natural resources and state property and have violated California law by misleading state residents with false advertising and misleading environmental marketing.
Several states and cities including Rhode Island, Baltimore and Honolulu have filed similar complaints against oil companies, but California is now the largest economy to file a lawsuit against the fossil fuel industry, according to a news release from Attorney General Bonta’s office.
Glad this is happening, but it’s kind of like pissing on a wildfire.
Yeah, it’s a step that should have been taken several decades ago.