Reports from the US say that three areas in the state of Colorado are suing two large oil companies for the damage they say that the oil companies’ actions have caused their communities. They are seeking financial compensation from the oil companies towards the costs they say they are incurring to redress the damage.
San Miguel County and the City of Boulder and Boulder County are the entities suing US oil company Exxon Mobil Corp and Canadian energy business Suncor Energy Inc.
North America’s two largest ski resort operators Vail resorts and the Alterra Group are both based in Colorado, Vail Resorts in Broomfield, close to Boulder. The high profile climate advocacy group Protect Our Winters is also headquartered in Boulder (pictured above). San Miguel County in the south of the state is home to the ski resort of Telluride (below).
The ski regions say that what they describe as “intentional, reckless and negligent conduct” by the oil companies have altered the climate in Colorado, bringing extreme weather events such as heat waves, wildfires, droughts and floods to the State.
They want the oil companies to contribute to the cost of remedial actions.
