While ExxonMobil fights to keep secret what they knew and when they knew it in regards to climate change, they are continuing to pollute the earth in a variety of ways. This is not a case of saying there shouldn’t be an oil industry, it’s a case of saying that there should be huge punishments for an oil industry that continuously breaks the law at the expense of life. On Wednesday, the Dallas-based oil giant was fined $20 million for polluting the air in an area just outside of Houston.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner cited "serious" violations that resulted in the release of about 10 million pounds of pollutants into the atmosphere.
The judge ruled in favor of the Sierra Club and Environment Texas Citizen Lobby, finding Exxon violated the Clean Air Act 16,386 times between October 2005 and September 2013.
I can’t tell you exactly how much Exxon profited between the years 2005 and 2013, but I’m guessing it was just the tiniest bit north of $20 million. The company made $39.5 billion dollars in 2006. What did Exxon get out of polluting the air?
The court found that Exxon enjoyed $14.2 million in economic benefits by delaying the installation of infrared imaging and other monitoring improvements at the facility, which makes everything from jet fuel to plastic.
Pathetic. According to Luke Metzger of Environment Texas, who filed the lawsuit and spoke with radio station Kelo-FM:
"We think it might be the largest citizen suit penalty in U.S. history," said Luke Metzger, director of Environment Texas. "It definitely means it pays not to pollute."
Exxon is still deciding whether or not they will appeal the decision.