Article

2019-11-07 -Short Attention Span Theater-

City Announces Plans To Sue Oil Companies For Climate Change Damage

[Hawaii Public Radio] The City and County of Honolulu is the second county to announce plans to sue fossil fuel companies for what officials say is damage caused by climate change and rising sea levels traced back to corporate action or inaction.

"The evidence is piling up that just as big tobacco misled the public and policymakers about the danger of smoking, big oil waged a decades-long deception campaign and covered up the origins of today’s climate crisis," said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Tuesday.

The mayor pointed to the estimated 3,880 Oahu structures said to be in harm's way if the sea level rises by 3.2 feet as predicted by 2100. The higher oceans could result $12.9 billion in costs, according to a 2017 study from the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission.

Last week, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino said his administration plans to sue the companies for climate change-related damage to roads and other infrastructure.

Both lawsuits will need approval from county councils.

Victorino has been feuding with Maui council members over issues like his insistence that the county argue rather than settle a wastewater lawsuit now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Caldwell had City Council members Joey Manahan and Ron Menor at a press conference announcing his intention to file a lawsuit against fossil fuel companies. Both supported the administration's plans.

Among the companies that would be named in the suit are Chevron, Shell, Exxon Mobil, BP, the BHP Group, Conoco Phillips, Marathon (formerly known as Tesoro) and Aloha Petroleum.

Posted by Besoeker 2019-11-07 02:50|| || Front Page|| [11140 views ] Top

#1 I'm glad I visited Hawaii before it went to sh*t. Like all other blue places, I have no plans to spend my vacation dollars there in the future.

Posted by M. Murcek 2019-11-07 02:55|| 2019-11-07 02:55|| Front Page Top

#2 Have a friendly judge lined up, have they?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2019-11-07 03:00|| 2019-11-07 03:00|| Front Page Top

#3 They should stop any petroleum/coal getting to the island.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2019-11-07 06:00|| 2019-11-07 06:00|| Front Page Top

#4 ...and the state and city taxes on the stuff.

Posted by Procopius2k 2019-11-07 07:14|| 2019-11-07 07:14|| Front Page Top

#5 The Hawaiian Islands are a hot spot chain and start sinking as soon as their volcanoes stop growing them. Midway Atoll used to be an island like Hawaii.

Posted by Glenmore 2019-11-07 08:52|| 2019-11-07 08:52|| Front Page Top

#6 I agree PEPPLES, ALL things that need or run on ANY petroleum Products & ALL ammo for Police included! NO SHIPPING what so ever land sea~~any. STARVE!

Posted by ranture 2019-11-07 10:55|| 2019-11-07 10:55|| Front Page Top

#7 About 70% of the islands' (all inhabited ones, anyway) power comes from oil-fired generation. Coal-fired makes up about 15% and 'Renewable' makes up about 15%.

It would be interesting to see an 85% power reduction take effect.

Posted by Mullah Richard 2019-11-07 11:48|| 2019-11-07 11:48|| Front Page Top

#8 What about all the goods and supplies shipped into the islands?
Will the freighters and cargo jets be forced to run on renewables as well?

Posted by Lex 2019-11-07 15:37|| 2019-11-07 15:37|| Front Page Top

#9 ...ah, the return of the clipper ships! Just redirect some of that unauthorized manpower coming across the border to the work (in colloquial terms - Shanghai'd)

Posted by Procopius2k 2019-11-07 16:08|| 2019-11-07 16:08|| Front Page Top

#10 Lead the way, Greta.
Maybe you can be the figurehead on a new EcoClipper.

Posted by Lex 2019-11-07 16:13|| 2019-11-07 16:13|| Front Page Top

#11 Stop sending anything to the Islands that require fossil fuel for transport or production (which is bloody everything).

Let the collapse, starvation and disease do their work for a year or so before sending the Marines in.

Posted by DarthVader 2019-11-07 17:11|| 2019-11-07 17:11|| Front Page Top

#12 The mayor pointed to the estimated 3,880 Oahu structures said to be in harm's way if the sea level rises by 3.2 feet as predicted by 2100.

Last I looked, sea level rise was on the order of a millimeter per year which gives 80 mm by 2100 - about 3 inches. Probably not real noticeable depending on the daily tides.

If I were an oil company CEO, I would announce that all fuel shipments and sales would be suspended in 30 days to avoid further legal liability. Then I would sit back with a drink and watch heads explode all over the islands.

Posted by SteveS 2019-11-07 18:30|| 2019-11-07 18:30|| Front Page Top

#13 Steve - isn't that the approach that PG&E adopted in California - shut off electricity. Partially to reduce the chance of a wildfire from their equipment. But mostly so they couldn't be blamed when a wildfire broke out.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia 2019-11-07 19:02|| 2019-11-07 19:02|| Front Page Top

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