Isle de Jean Charles relocation and a $744.6m Chevron coastal-loss verdict
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
Residents moved from Isle de Jean Charles, an island that has lost 98% of its land since 1955, with money from a $98 million federal grant. A Louisiana jury ordered Chevron to pay $744.6 million over coastal land loss, but no payment has been made.
- Louisiana Office of Community Development and Louisiana Land Trust — Control of the relocation money after it arrived, which passed from the tribe's plan to the state office and its contractor DeSmog
- Buyers not linked to the tribe — Remaining island lots can be sold to people who have no link to the tribe DeSmog
- Isle de Jean Charles residents — 98% of the island's land lost since 1955; the island once had 78 homes and about 400 residents Inside Climate News
- Relocated residents — Reported cracks, leaks and toilet failures in new homes, and no flood insurance WWNO
What happened
Inside Climate News reported that the island lost 98% of its land between 1955 and 2021, and cited oil and gas canals, pipelines, Mississippi River levees and sea level rise as causes.
DeSmog reported that a $98 million grant went to the Louisiana Office of Community Development in 2016, and that $48 million was set aside for relocating the Jean Charles Choctaw tribe.
WWNO reported that the tribe's December 2023 complaint to HUD said restrictions on relocated residents' island homes were not applied to newcomers, and that new homes had cracks, leaks and toilet failures.
The Associated Press reported that a Plaquemines Parish jury in April 2025 ordered Chevron to pay $744.6 million, of which $575 million was for land loss; Chevron says it is not the cause of the land loss, and no payment has been made.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2025-04OngoingPlaquemines Parish v. Chevron (coastal land loss)Jury trial, Louisiana; federal court from 2026 · Civil · Plaquemines Parish → Chevron
Jury award of $744.6 million, of which $575 million was for land loss. The claim was $2.6 billion. No payment has been made, and the case moved to federal court in 2026. Associated Press (via WSLS)
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: a 515-acre sugar cane field in Schriever bought for about $11.7 million (KATC, secondary summary).
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: the tribe's HUD complaint was withdrawn in January 2026; the reason is not known (EarthRights).
- None on record Not found: the current status of the Plaquemines case in federal court, and whether any payment has been ordered since 2025.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Press and investigations
- To flee or to stay: until the end, and be swallowed by the seaInside Climate News · 2021-07-18
- Article by J. Dermansky on the Isle de Jean Charles resettlement planDeSmog · 2019-04-20
- Jean Charles Choctaw Nation challenges state resettlement plan in legal complaint to HUDWWNO / Le Louisianais · 2023-12-23
- Chevron ordered to pay more than $740 million to restore Louisiana coast in landmark trialAssociated Press (via WSLS) · 2025-04-04
Connected cases
- Chevron owns Richmond's 'local news' site, which carries no leak reporting United States · date not stated
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: owner of the news site
- Chevron pleads no contest to six counts over 2012 Richmond refinery fire United States · 2012–2013
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: company that pleaded no contest
- Chevron, Texaco and the Lago Agrio judgment: the RICO ruling and the Donziger cases Ecuador · 1995–2026
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: Defendant in the Ecuadorian judgment; plaintiff in the US RICO case; claimant in the arbitration
- COP28 decision promoted carbon capture and left room for transition fuels United Arab Emirates · 2023
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: Member of the Global CCS Institute
- EU narrows supply-chain law and delays deforestation rule twice European Union · 2024–2026
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: Named in leaked documents on the supply-chain law
- Gorgon LNG carbon storage fell short; gap closed with credits Australia · 2006
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: operator of Gorgon LNG
- Hess agreed to buy at least $750m of Guyana forest credits Guyana · 2022–2032
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: acquired Hess
- Hill & Knowlton and Edelman: PR for fossil fuel clients and climate summits Egypt · 2005–2025
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: agency client
- Paraquat litigation (Syngenta/Chevron) and the Paraquat Papers United States · 1958–2026
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: US distributor of paraquat, 1966 to 1986
- US budget law cuts fossil fuel royalties and sets 4 million coal acres for leasing United States · 2025
- Chevron (Company) — here: Defendant in the Plaquemines Parish coastal-loss case; there: Named inauguration-fund donor