Fossil fuel execs caused more than $28 trillion in damages, and their ecocide continues in NM. WQCC don't be complicit!
- New Energy Economy
- May 7
- 4 min read
With the daily pronouncements rolling back environmental incentives and eviscerating protections at the federal level, it is understandable and easy to focus on the Trump administration's danger to life and loved ones, but a new study published in Nature last week directs that focus back where it ultimately belongs - the fossil fuel executives that are willfully and maliciously committing ecocide, and an estimated $28 trillion in climate damage since 1991. The authors identified five companies responsible for a third of that damage:
Saudi Aramco: $2.05 trillion - owned by the Saudi royal family and headed by Yasir Al-Rumayyan
Gazprom: $2 trillion - owned by the Russian State and run by Victor Zubkov
Chevron: $1.98 trillion - owned by shareholders and run by Michael Wirth
ExxonMobil: $1.91 trillion - owned by shareholders and run by Darren Woods
BP: $1.45 trillion - owned by shareholders and run by Murray Auchincloss
The authors argue that "the scientific case for climate liability is closed" and find that identifying quantitative links between individual emitters and particular harms is now feasible, identifying specifically "Emissions linked to Chevron, the highest-emitting investor-owned company in our data, for example, very likely caused between US$791 billion and $3.6 trillion in heat-related losses over the period 1991–2020, disproportionately harming the tropical regions least culpable for warming." That is only heat related. It does not include damages from climate disasters like hurricanes, fire, drought or sea-level rise.
As we reported in January during the fires in Los Angeles, the disasters, the rising heat, the dwindling water - these are not "natural" disasters. These are crimes against creation perpetrated by climate criminals who are maliciously and purposely destroying earth for their personal gain. The Trump campaign was funded by these fossil fuel profiteers with at least $75 million paid in an attempt to hold back the economic tide of cheap, inexhaustible, clean solar and wind energy eating into their profits, and the administration has lost no time in doing their bidding, now moving from gutting federal regulation to targeting state laws and climate suits.
These criminals do not act alone of course, they use their money to buy influence and corrupt individuals, like the President, whose disastrous trade policies are instead having the unintended effect of reducing demand for oil and gas and reducing fossil fuel profits (womp womp!), and of course, legislators and regulators here in New Mexico, where bills protecting the people from oil and gas pollution continue to fail at the legislature and regulators at the Water Quality Control Commission are trying to subvert our laws to allow oil and gas companies to discharge their fracking waste onto our land.
We must show up and fight back, against the criminals committing ecocide, against the administration working for them, and against their influence here at home.
IN SEPARATE, BUT COMPLIMENTARY FILINGS, NEW ENERGY ECONOMY, WILDEARTH GUARDIANS, AMIGOS BRAVOS AND SIERRA CLUB FILED MOTIONS AT THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION CALLING FOR REEXAMINATION OF THE EVIDENCE BEFORE A FINAL VOTE ON THE RULE
As we reported last week, Water Quality Control Commissioners voted during April 8th and 9th meetings to allow discharge of 2000 barrels per day of treated oil and gas waste without standards to groundwater, and to implement a flimsy Notice of Intent procedure for pilot treatment projects that does not allow for public input or hearing. They plan to adopt the final language for the rule on May 13th. Advocates have sought to intervene now, before the Commission officially votes to adopt the planned language in the rule.
New Energy Economy, WildEarth Guardians and Indigenous community members filed a Joint Notice and Request to Prevent Plain Error, arguing that discharge of treated produced water to groundwater without scientifically based treatment and water quality standards specific to produced water is a violation of the Water Quality Act, and that the flimsy Notice of Intent procedure for pilot treatment projects violates the Produced Water Act. WildEarth Guardians filed an additional Motion for Clarification related to residual waste, and the Sierra Club and Amigos Bravos filed a Motion for Reconsideration opposing the Commission's decision to authorize discharge.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? ACT NOW TO DEFEND OUR WATER.
Email Chairman Bruce Thomson to ask that the Commission reconsider their decision to allow discharge of treated fracking waste to groundwater without standards specific to produced water.
The Commission's proposition to allow 2000 barrels of treated waste to groundwater without these specific standards endangers public health and could lead to irreversible harm.
Drinking water standards are not sufficient! Frack waste contains hundreds of compounds, known and unknown, that are not measured by existing water quality standards.
COME TO THE MEETING ON MAY 13TH TO SHOW OUR OPPOSITION
Bring your copy of this one-pager, which includes a sign on the back telling the Commission "No Discharge of Frack Waste." RSVP below so we can get in touch if there are any last minute changes to venue or agenda.
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