Massachusetts DEP Seeks Deadline Extension as Exxon Accuses Agency of Withholding Records

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection filed an emergency motion in Superior Court requesting a postponement of a summary-judgment deadline amid a contentious records dispute with ExxonMobil. The oil company, which has been litigating the state since 2019 over alleged climate-risk misrepresentations, seeks documents outlining the next steps state executive offices must take to comply with CO₂ emissions rules for the state fleet, specifically records labeled under “Executive Office.”

The DEP asserted it had turned over all relevant material and submitted numerous affidavits, yet Exxon contends the agency’s initial search excluded files from the Commissioner’s Office and missed key search terms. Attorney Jack Pirozzolo for Exxon argued the request’s definition of “Executive Office” was clear and that the DEP’s search was haphazard, omitting custodians and repositories. The DEP’s extension request cites an expanded interpretation of the term and a need for a targeted review.

State data show public-records requests have nearly doubled since 2017, straining agency resources, a point highlighted by Secretary of State William Galvin. The dispute unfolds alongside other climate-related lawsuits, such as those in Colorado targeting major oil firms.