ExxonMobil Violates Clean Air Act with No Repercussions

In July, the Associated Press reported that two environmental companies, Environment Texas and Sierra Club, filed an intention to sue ExxonMobil for their violations of the Clean Air Act. After reporting their intention 60 days ago, as indicated by law, the two environmentalists released the lawsuit yesterday. Filed in federal court in Houston, the companies report that the nation’s largest refinery has violated the act thousands of time – but will anything be done?

For companies as powerful as ExxonMobil, the chances of this lawsuit making an overall impact on their company, despite initiating the attention of environmentalists nationwide, will be remarkably slim. Similar to other companies with that kind of clout, ExxonMobil has beat components to the ground over the years. Proponents have even directed the opposition's attention to the minimal resources ExxonMobil has in overall global oil reserves, a meager five percent, indicating their lack of impact within the industry.

What is even odder is that is focuses on the Texas oil refinery in Baytown. According to the environmentalists, ExxonMobil has released more than 8 million pounds of illegal pollution over the past five years; meanwhile, Texas has been recognized nationwide for its leading provisions in greenhouse gases. Do Environment Texas and Sierra Club stand a chance at taking down this oil giant?  

Of course, Environment Texas and Sierra Club have already sunk their claws into Shell and Chevron Phillips, settling out of court settlements following similar actions. While Texas remains the largest provider of oil refineries and chemical plants in the nation, if it were up to the environmentalists, they stance would no longer hold true.