A Louisiana civil jury has ordered Chevron to pay $744.6 million to Plaquemines Parish for decades of environmental destruction linked to oil and gas drilling, in a landmark case that could reshape how fossil fuel companies are held responsible for coastal degradation.
The verdict marks the conclusion of the first of 42 lawsuits filed against Chevron and other energy companies since 2013, accusing them of contributing to the massive loss of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. The lawsuit alleged that Texaco—acquired by Chevron in 2001—violated state environmental regulations by failing to restore damaged land after its oil and gas operations ended.
The jury found that Texaco had dredged canals, drilled wells, and dumped billions of gallons of toxic wastewater into the region’s fragile marshes, resulting in long-term contamination and land loss. The jury awarded Plaquemines Parish $575 million for land loss, $161 million for contamination, and $8.6 million for abandoned equipment.
“No company is big enough to ignore the law, no company is big enough to walk away scot-free,” said John Carmouche, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, during closing arguments, according to the Associated Press.
The lawsuit hinged on a 1980 Louisiana coastal management regulation requiring that, “Mineral exploration and production sites shall be cleared, revegetated, detoxified, and otherwise restored as near as practicable to their original condition upon termination of operations to the maximum extent practicable.”
Chevron argued that its operations began long before the 1980 regulation took effect and that its activities were not the cause of the extensive land loss. Mike Phillips, an attorney for Chevron, said the company would appeal the ruling, calling it “unjust,” and claiming there were “numerous legal errors.”
“Chevron was not the cause of the land loss occurring,” Phillips said. He added that the law does not apply to “conduct that occurred decades before the law was enacted.”
The lawsuit, filed in 2013, sought $2.6 billion in damages. Though the final jury award was significantly less, the outcome represents a major victory for Plaquemines Parish and environmental advocates who have long pointed to the oil and gas industry as a key driver of the state’s ecological collapse.
Expert witnesses testified that Chevron and its predecessors failed to follow best practices in land and environmental management dating back to the 1940s. Carmouche argued that Chevron “chose profits over the marsh,” allowing the damage to spread and worsen over generations.
According to the United States Geological Survey, Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the nation. Between 1932 and 2016, the region lost about 4,833 square kilometers—or roughly 25 percent—of its original land area. The Guardian reported that Louisiana experiences more wetlands loss than all other continental U.S. states combined.
This rapid erosion has had dire consequences for the state’s ecological and community resilience. The canals dredged by oil companies to create transportation routes for rigs have altered water flow and made it easier for ocean storm surges to travel inland, bypassing natural barriers like bayous. Wetlands also serve as crucial buffers against hurricanes, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change.
According to Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the state is at risk of losing an additional 3,000 square miles of coastal land over the next 50 years if aggressive restoration is not implemented.
Attorneys for the state and parish emphasized the deep cultural and personal importance of protecting coastal communities. “Our communities are built on coast, our families raised on coast, our children go to school on coast,” said attorney Jimmy Faircloth Jr., speaking to jurors. “The state of Louisiana will not surrender the coast, it’s for the good of the state that the coast be maintained.”
The jury’s decision could influence the outcomes of the remaining 41 lawsuits against other oil and gas companies. Several of these cases involve similar claims that companies failed to adhere to post-drilling restoration requirements and left behind ecological devastation. The ruling may also pressure other companies to consider settlements rather than risk jury trials.
Despite the win for Plaquemines Parish, many in Louisiana remain cautious. The oil industry has long been deeply entrenched in the state’s economy and political landscape. But advocates say the Chevron case shows that local governments can challenge corporate giants in court and win.
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