On June 22, 2023, Multnomah County, after experiencing unprecedented extreme heat events, filed suit against the world’s top fossil fuel and coal-producing corporations in an effort to hold them accountable for the damages arising from the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome.
The suit alleges that the combined historical carbon pollution from the use of Defendants’ fossil fuel products was a substantial factor in causing and exacerbating the heat dome, which smothered the County’s residents for several days. The County’s lawsuit seeks $50 million in actual damages and $1.5 billion in future damages, as well as an estimate $50 billion for an abatement fund to study, plan and upgrade the public health care services and infrastructure that will be reasonably necessary to “weatherproof” the County from future extreme heat events and to safeguard the public health.
Find documents relevant to the suit below.
