On June 7, 2006, oral arguments will be heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York City on a first-of-its-kind lawsuit that, if successful, will hold corporations responsible for global warming.
Eight states, the City of New York and three land trusts filed civil litigation against companies including American Electric Power Co., Southern Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, Xcel Energy Inc. and Cinergy Corp. in federal court in Manhattan in 2004. If the oral arguments are successful, the case will move forward and could ultimately lead to a legally binding emissions limit on greenhouse gases from major U.S. power corporations.
The five companies named in the suit are responsible for approximately one quarter of all carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. power sector (2.6 billion tons per year). Curtailing the emissions of these industry leaders will be a substantial first step toward stabilizing carbon dioxide levels and slowing global warming. Oral arguments on this corporate polluter case will be held before a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and attorney Matthew Pawa will be representing the plaintiff land trusts.
For more information on the history and facts of the lawsuit, please visit the following website:
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