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Sierra Club Applauds States' Global Warming Law Suit Statement by David Hamilton, Director, Global Warming and Energy Program, Sierra Club Today, the Sierra Club applauds the city and states that have filed suit in an attempt to force five of America’s largest energy utilities to cut carbon dioxide emissions - the heat trapping gas that causes global warming. This is a bold step towards curbing global warming, and stands in stark contrast to the Bush administration’s refusal to address this issue. The plaintiffs in this case - California, Connecticut, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and New York City - are suing five of America’s largest energy utilities, alleging that their CO2 emissions constitutes a "public nuisance," and threatens irreparable and ongoing harm to their communities and families. The five companies - TVA, AEP, Southern, Excel Energy, and Cynergy - own 174 fossil-fueled power plants that emit approximately 650 tons of CO2 per year. This is approximately ¼ of all CO2 emitted from U.S. utilities, and almost 10 percent of the nation’s total CO2 emissions. The suit seeks to force these polluters to dramatically cut their greenhouse gas emissions. Inaction by the Bush administration has left states and communities with no other option but to take matters into their own hands and go after our biggest polluters. This lawsuit alone will not stop global warming - but it is an important first step. While we applaud this coalitions’ efforts, the Sierra Club looks to the rest of the United States to increase efforts to reduce global warming emissions and protect our environment for our children and our communities. # # # |
