By: Jacob Kim
In a groundbreaking legal move, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has filed a lawsuit against major fossil fuel companies, alleging they misled the public about the environmental consequences of their products and concealed evidence of climate change. The suit names Exxon, Shell, Chevron, BP, Sunoco, and the American Petroleum Institute (API) as defendants, accusing them of decades-long deception that has left Mainers grappling with worsening climate impacts.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants were aware as early as the 1960s of the potentially catastrophic effects of burning fossil fuels. Instead of acting responsibly, the companies allegedly concealed this knowledge, protected their own assets from climate risks, and orchestrated public relations campaigns to sow doubt about the scientific consensus on climate change. The complaint, filed on November 26, 2024, seeks a jury trial and demands damages, penalties, and funding to address both past and future climate-related harms. It also calls for the companies to cease deceptive practices in Maine. The allegations include negligence, failure to warn, public nuisance, and violations of the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act, among others.
The lawsuit cites newly uncovered documents, first published by investigative outlet DeSmog, showing that fossil fuel companies were warned as early as 1955 about the long-term consequences of greenhouse gas emissions. These warnings were ignored, and instead, the companies invested in efforts to undermine climate science and delay meaningful action. “For over half a century, these companies chose to fuel profits instead of following their own science to prevent what are now likely irreversible, catastrophic climate effects,” Frey stated. “In so doing, they burdened the state and our citizens with the consequences of their greed and deception.”
Maine has already felt the effects of a warming planet, with Governor Janet Mills citing three severe storms last winter that flooded roads, devastated coastal communities, and damaged fishing infrastructure. “It is time for the fossil fuel industry to be held responsible,” Mills said, emphasizing that the state’s economy, public health, and environment are at stake. Michael Gilligan, a resident of Auburn, Maine, vividly recalls retrieving belongings from his Newbury Street home after one such storm last December—a grim reminder of how climate change impacts everyday lives.
Maine’s lawsuit aligns with similar legal actions taken by over 20 states, cities, counties, and tribes, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont. These lawsuits aim to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in exacerbating climate change and misleading the public.
Chevron’s counsel, Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., dismissed the lawsuit as baseless, arguing that addressing climate change requires federal and international coordination, not state-level litigation. Boutrous also pointed to previous dismissals of similar lawsuits in other jurisdictions as evidence of the claims’ lack of merit. However, Maine’s case reflects growing momentum in the broader effort to hold fossil fuel companies accountable. As climate-related damages continue to escalate, legal challenges like this one highlight the tension between the urgent need for action and the energy industry’s historical resistance.
The Maine lawsuit underscores a pivotal moment in the battle against climate change. As states and communities contend with rising seas, extreme weather, and public health crises linked to fossil fuel use, calls for accountability are growing louder. Whether Maine’s case succeeds or faces the same hurdles as others before it, it signals a strong stance against decades of corporate deception—and a demand for justice for those bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.
Sources
Energy Outlook 
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