NJ sues oil, gas firms, trade group over climate change

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey officials announced a lawsuit Tuesday against five oil and gas companies and a petroleum trade organization, alleging they had known for decades about the harmful impact of fossil fuels on climate change but instead deceived the public about that link.

Attorney General Matthew Platkin and the state's consumer affairs division and environmental protection department said the suit filed Tuesday in Superior Court in Mercer County names Exxon Mobil Corp., Shell Oil Co. Chevron Corp., BP, ConocoPhillips, and the American Petroleum Institute trade group of which all are members.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to warn the public about the role of fossil fuels in climate change and instead “launched public-relations campaigns to sow doubts about the existence, causes, and effects of climate change."

“Based on their own research, these companies understood decades ago that their products were causing climate change and would have devastating environmental impacts down the road,” said Platkin said in a statement. “They went to great lengths to hide the truth and mislead the people of New Jersey, and the world."

Shawn LaTourette, the state's environmental protection commissioner, called New Jersey the “ground zero" for some of the worst impacts of climate change. The commissioner added that the Garden State communities and the environment “are continually recovering from extreme heat, furious storms, and devastating floods.”

The suit comes shortly before the 10th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, which devastated large parts of New Jersey and New York City. The announcement of the suit was made at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, which was inundated by floodwaters from the storm.

The suit seeks civil penalties and damages,...