California Sues Car Manufacturers over Emissions

[Adam Shand]

Hilariously awesome ...

Source: http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/0,71825-0.html

Calif. Sues Carmakers: Emissions
Reuters 11:30 AM Sep, 20, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO -- California filed a global warming lawsuit on  
Wednesday against Ford Motor, General Motors, Toyota and three other  
automakers, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have  
cost the state millions of dollars.

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer said the lawsuit filed in U.S.  
District Court in Northern California was the first of its kind to  
seek to hold manufacturers liable for the damages caused by their  
vehicles' emissions.

The lawsuit also names Chrysler Motors, the U.S. arm of Germany's  
DaimlerChrysler, and the North American units of Japan's Honda and  
Nissan.

The lawsuit charges that vehicle emissions have contributed  
significantly to global warming and harmed the resources,  
infrastructure and environmental health of the most populous state in  
the United States.

Ford deferred comment to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an  
industry group which could not immediately be reached. The other  
automakers had no immediate comment.

Lockyer, a Democrat, said the complaint states that under federal and  
state common law the automakers have created a public nuisance by  
producing "millions of vehicles that collectively emit massive  
quantities of carbon dioxide."

Carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases have been linked  
to global warming.

The lawsuit comes after California passed legislation supported by  
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that requires the state to  
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 25 percent by 2020.  
California was the first state to mandate a reduction of greenhouse  
gases.

California has also issued rules to force automakers to cut tailpipe  
emissions from cars and trucks. Enforcement of those rules is being  
delayed by litigation from automakers.