Bucks County Climate Lawsuit Loses Support!
Six days ago, I wrote a post here reflecting on the Bucks County climate lawsuit and Republican Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo's support of that lawsuit. I heavily criticized his action and remarks, noting they seemed to the left even of the Democrat majority on the Board of Commissioners. I ended the post, though, sadly stating I had no reason to believe DiGirolamo was not, in fact, a good person but that he was also not helping anyone with his stance on that lawsuit. Guess what? He apparently heard from his constituents and has, happily, reversed course. Three cheers for Gene!
The Delaware Valley Journal ran a nice balanced story on the conversion. Here is a condensed version (emphasis added):
Last month, the three Bucks County commissioners entered the national debate over climate policy by filing a lawsuit against the world’s major oil companies, blaming them for local damages allegedly caused by global warming. It’s part of a coordinated strategy by green activists hoping to use local courts to either damage the fossil fuel industry or force a massive payout similar to the tobacco industry settlement in 1998.
On Wednesday, Republican Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo backed out.
“Madame Chair, I have considered this for the past seven or eight days,” said DiGirolamo. “And at this point, I would like to withdraw my support for the lawsuit.”
There was some scattered applause from the audience…
During public comment, Bucks County resident Ed Mackhouse said the oil companies are being sued because they have money and not because they bear responsibility for “the climate hoax.”
“Where is this coming from that Bucks County is going to sue oil companies?” asked Andy Warren, a former Bucks County commissioner. “We’ve got to have more substantial things about Bucks County than to start a crusade about oil companies.”
…Warminster resident Beth Curcio said, “I’m not surprised you would look for the press by suing the oil companies. The very companies that make your clothes, shoes, furniture, heat your homes, run all your transportation — I could go on forever. Over the years it’s become cleaner and safer to transport through pipelines.”
…Vice Chair Robert Harvie Jr. pushed back on the criticisms from the public, as well as DiGirolamo’s announcement.
“A comment was made, ‘Why does this matter?’
“It matters because… in the next 16 years, Pennsylvania municipalities are expected to spend $16.5 billion to deal with issues regarding climate change, extreme heat, extreme precipitation, rising sea levels, or, in our case, river levels. That includes $1.2 billion in air conditioning in schools, including $6 million in air conditioning added to schools just in Bensalem Township.”
Harvie said towns that border the Delaware River could spend $172 million on flood control
“We’ve already seen a 5 to 10 percent increase in rainfall over the past several years,” he said. “It’s really about a negligence issue.”
Demovcrat Commissioner Harvie's remarks were interesting for three reasons:
Harvie’s assertion of extreme precipitation is hogwash, as I explained in the previous post on this subject. Notice, in fact, how Harvie avoids proving his point. He simply asserts 5-10 percent more rain without any reference to the specific period involved except to say "recent.”
When Harvie talks about flood control he fails to mention most flooding occurs not because of climate change but, rather, heavy urbanization with wholly inadequate stormwater management.
Harvie also blithely asserts river levels have been rising, but that data is readily available from USGS for a gauging station at Riegelesville in Buck County and an analysis of the data from 2005 through today (years 2010-2013 missing) indicates there were 18 instances over that period when the water level reached 20 feet or more. Ten of those were between 2006 and 2008 and eight were between 2020 and 2023. The highest levels exceeded 30 feet and were recorded on three successive days in June, 2006.
So much for rising river levels, as the above chart of March 31 river levels for the available years shows us.
#DiGirolamo #BucksCounty #Democrats #Republicans #Climate #Lawsuit
