City of Chicago sues oil companies, accuses them of deception about products' climate dangers
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The City of Chicago is going after big oil – as Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday announced lawsuits against half a dozen oil and gas companies.
The city said it filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court against BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, Phillips 66, Shell, and the American Petroleum Institute.
The lawsuit accuses the companies of deceiving Chicagoans about the dangers of their products and their impacts on climate change.
"There is no justice without accountability," Mayor Johnson said in a news release. "From the unprecedented poor air quality that we experienced last summer to the basement floodings that our residents on the West Side experienced, the consequences of this crisis are severe, as are the costs of surviving them. That is why we are seeking to hold these Defendants accountable."
The complaint details climate change-related damages Chicago has suffered as a result of what it says is the conduct of the oil companies.
Similar lawsuits have been filed recently in California and New York City.
In the past, oil companies have called similar lawsuits meritless – and enormous waste of taxpayer money.
