:
John,
Our state group Environment Texas just won a historic lawsuit for clean air.[1]
When Exxon racked up more than 16,000 violations of the Clean Air Act, Environment Texas and our partners went to court to hold the company accountable for its pollution.[2]
If the government isn't doing enough to rein in corporate polluters, we can work with citizens to enforce the law and protect our communities from air pollution.
Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger in front of ExxonMobil's Baytown, Texas, facility.
Citizens in Baytown, TX, downwind of Exxon's oil refinery and chemical plant, were breathing in dirty, unsafe air pollution for years, threatening their health.
That air pollution included carcinogens, other toxic air pollutants, and respiratory irritants like sulfur dioxide and ozone-forming chemicals.[3]
When the government fails to enforce laws like the Clean Air Act to protect our health and our environment, federal law empowers citizens to step in and get tough on polluters who are breaking the law. Alongside members of the community, Environment Texas, the National Environmental Law Center and Sierra Club joined forces to sue Exxon for exceeding legal pollution limits.
The court ruled in our favor, requiring Exxon to pay a record-setting civil penalty. But over the last decade, Exxon filed appeal after appeal of court decisions in our favor. Now, Exxon's final appeal, to the U.S. Supreme Court, has been rejected.[4]
In addition to making improvements since we filed our suit, Exxon will now pay an additional price for causing damage to the community -- it owes $14.25 million. This is the largest penalty ever imposed in an environmental citizen suit to enforce the Clean Air Act.[5,6]
This is a huge win for clean air and for a community that has been suffering from dirty air for years. When we stand together, we can make sure companies follow the laws meant to protect our health and environment.
Thank you,
Lisa Frank
Executive Director
P.S. You can help us keep defending clean air and clean water. Will you donate today?
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1. Nate Raymond, "US Supreme Court rejects Exxon's appeal of $14.25 million air pollution penalty," Reuters, June 30, 2025.
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2. "Supreme Court rejects final Exxon appeal in historic Clean Air Act citizen enforcement case," Environment Texas, June 30, 2025.
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3. Luke Metzger, "Federal court: Exxon violated Clean Air Act over 16,000 times, must pay $19.95 million penalty," Environment Texas, April 27, 2017.
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4. "Supreme Court rejects final Exxon appeal in historic Clean Air Act citizen enforcement case," Environment Texas, June 30, 2025.
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5. Travis Bubenik, "Federal Judge In Houston Rules Against Exxon-Mobil In Pollution Lawsuit Over Baytown Plant," Houston Public Media, April 27, 2017.
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6. Nate Raymond, "US Supreme Court rejects Exxon's appeal of $14.25 million air pollution penalty," Reuters, June 30, 2025.
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