Chevron ordered paying more than $ 740 million to restore Louisiana coast in landmark trials

Point a La Hash: Oil Company Shehtir The coastal wetlands of South -East Louisiana must pay more than $ 740 million to restore damage, a jury on Friday pronounced the verdict after testing over a decade over a decade. This case was the first of dozens of pending cases to reach the trial Louisiana Against the world’s leading oil companies for their role in intensifying the loss of land along the rapid disappearance of the state. Decision – The Chevron says that it will appeal – can set an example except other oil and gas firms on hooks for billions of dollars in loss of land loss and environmental decline.
What did Chevron do wrong?
Jury members It was found that in 2001, the energy giants acquired by Chevron had violated Louisiana’s rules for decades, which controlled coastal resources, which failed to restore the measures affected by dragging humid land, wells and billion gallons were dumped into waste water.
“No company is sufficient to ignore the law,” the chief attorney John Carmach of the plaintiff told the gamblers while arguing that no company is sufficient to walk away from Scott-Free. ”
The Louisiana coastal management law of 1978 stated that the sites used by the oil companies “after the operation ended” was practically near, re -designed, re -detailed, detoxed, and otherwise restored. Old operating sites were not used to be used and companies were expected to apply for appropriate permits.
But the oil company did not receive proper permits and failed to clean its dirt, ignoring contamination from waste water or dumped directly into the swamp.
The company also failed to follow the best practices known for decades as it started working in the region in the 1940s, expert witnesses for the testimony of the plaintiff. The company said “Marsh chosen profits on Marsh” and the environmental decline due to its operations allowed foster and spread, Carmoche said.
The jury compensated for $ 575 million to compensate for the loss of land, $ 161 million for the compensation and $ 8.6 million for abandoned devices – a total of $ 744.6 million. The amount prescribed for restoration exceeds $ 1.1 billion, when the firm behind the trial, Talbot, Carmoche and Marcello’s lawyers, including interest, including interest.
Plaquimines Parish, South -East Louisiana district which came up with a case, had asked for a loss of $ 2.6 billion.
Chevron’s lead trial attorney Mike Philips A statement following the verdict said that “the land is not the cause of land loss in Chevron plateau” does not apply to conduct on the conduct that occurs decades before the law is implemented “in Plalimines Parish”. ,
Philips called the ruling “unjust” and said “there were many legal errors.”
How are oil companies contributing to Louisiana land loss?
The trial against Chevron was filed in 2013 by Plaxwimins Parish, a rural district in Louisiana changed the last leg of the Mississippi River to the final stage going to the Gulf of Mexico, which was also referred to as the US Gulf announced by President Donald Trump.
According to the US Geological Survey, the coastal parganas of Louisiana have lost more than 2,000 square miles (5,180 square kilometers) of land in the last century, identifying the infrastructure of oil and gas as an important reason. The state may lose another 3,000 square miles (7,770 square kilometers) in the coming decades, its coastal protection agency has warned.
Thousands of miles of cuts through wetlands by oil companies weaken them weakens them and increase the effects of increase in sea levels. Oil production reduces industrial wastewater surrounding soil and vegetation. Torn wetlands leave South Louisiana – some of the country’s largest ports and homes for the major energy sector infrastructure – more vulnerable to floods and destruction from extreme weather incidents such as storms.
Attorney Philips of Chevron said that the company convicted law and land loss on other factors in Louisiana, namely the comprehensive levy system that prevents the Mississippi river from depositing the land revived – the widely accepted cause of coastal erosion.
Philips said that the way to solve the problem of land loss “is” not to sue the oil companies, it is re -connecting the Mississippi river with delta. ”
Nevertheless, the lawsuit attributed the company to intensify and accelerate the loss of land in Louisiana, rather than the only reason for this.
Chevron also challenged the expensive Wetlands restoration project proposed by Parish, including removing large amounts of contaminated soil and filling in the fragmented wetlands of swaths in the last century. The company said the plan was impractical and designed to increase losses rather than leadership for real -world implementation.
Attorney Jimmy FairCloth, Junior, who represented the state of Louisiana, who supported Plaxwimin and other local governments in their cases against oil companies, told Parish gamblers that Chevron was telling them that their community was not worth protection.
“Our communities are built on the coast, our families are raised on the coast, our children go to school on the coast,” Faircloth said. “Louisiana will not surrender to the state coast, it is for the good of the state to maintain the coast.”
What does this mean for future litigation against oil companies?
A well -associated lawyer, and his firm is responsible for bringing several cases against oil companies in the state. Industry groups have accused of demanding large payments, not coastal restoration.
Louisiana’s economy has long been dependent on the oil and gas industry and the industry has significant political power. Nevertheless, Louisiana’s staunch supporter industry government. Jeff Landry has supported the cases, including bringing the state on board during his tenure as Attorney General.
Oil companies have fought teeth and nails to reduce litigation, failing to pass a law to invalve claims to fail Louisiana’s legislature. Chevron and other firms also repeatedly tried to transfer the cases to the federal court, where they believed that they would find more sympathetic spectators.
But the heavy price is determined to pay the chevron, other firms may hurry up in search of settlements in dozens of other cases in Louisiana. There are 20 other cases pending against oil companies in Placwimins alone.
The state is running out of money to support its ambitious coastal restoration plans, which has been fuel by the disposal fund to deal with the spread of deep water horizon soon, and litigation supporters say that payouts can provide very important injections of money.
Tommy FauchexThe chairman of Louisiana’s Middle-West-Oil Oil and Gas Association, said that the decision against Chevron “reduces the position of Louisiana as an energy leader” and “America is threatened by the trajectory of our country for America-first energy dominance worldwide.” He warned that “the business here is in danger of prosecuting tomorrow to follow the laws of today”.
Parish lawyers said that they hope that big payments would motivate more oil companies to interact and come to the table to channel more funds towards coastal restoration.
“We continue to fight to restore the coast,” Don Carmocha said, a lawyer with a lawyer who represents Parish and other local governments who have filed a suit. “Everyone wants companies to come together for proper restoration of the coast.”