California is to sue carmakers for harm to the environment

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The Times September 21, 2006 California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has had one of his Humvee gas guzzlers converted to take green fuel (Ann Johansson/AP) California is to sue carmakers for harm to the environmentFrom Chris Ayres in Los Angeles Emissions lawsuit an 'intriguing development' CALIFORNIA’S love affair with the car is officially over. In one of the most aggressive moves to confront global warming, the Golden State yesterday sued six car manufacturers, including Ford and General Motors, for damages related to

pollution, beach erosion and a reduced drinking water supply. The lawsuit follows a summer of record-breaking 49C (120F) temperatures in California that killed more than 100 people, and comes amid growing concern that Los Angeles would have to be abandoned if the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which supplies most of the city’s drinking water, disappears by the end of the century, as some scientists predict. Although no specific sum of compensation was mentioned in the lawsuit, the amount could easily be in the hundreds of millions. It is not clear how cash-strapped American carmakers could afford to pay. California’s decision to take the lead against car emissions is all the more surprising given that California practically invented car culture, depicted in movies from American Graffiti to The Fast and the Furious. Los Angeles is the home of the TV show Pimp My Ride, Dan Neil, the Pulitzer Prize-winning motoring writer,

hot-rod races and drive-thru Starbucks outlets. Yet Bill Lockyer, the attorney-general of California, issued a declaration of war yesterday. “Vehicle emissions are the single most rapidly growing source of the carbon emissions contributing to global warming, yet the automakers have refused to act,” he said. “It is time to hold these companies responsible for their contribution to this crisis.” The lawsuit — which brought to mind litigation against the tobacco industry over lung cancer — follows an internationally praised announcement by the Hummer-driving Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, that he wants to cut the Golden State’s carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The target will involve stiff legislation against factories, power plants and refineries, and even tougher emissions standards for car manufacturers, which have themselves sued California, arguing that the standards are a de facto mandate on fuel economy standards,

which can be set only by the federal government. Yesterday’s counter-suit from Mr Lockyer was California’s response. It accused the car companies, which also included Toyota, DaimlerChrysler, Honda and Nissan, of creating a “public nuisance” by making vehicles that emit huge quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Many scientists argue that greenhouses gases are causing the Earth’s climate to warm,

devastating agriculture in regions such as Napa Valley, where winemakers are already spraying their vines with sunscreen. About 30 million vehicles are registered in California — 10 per cent of the national total for the US. According to California’s lawsuit, vehicles made by the “Big Six” car manufacturers emit a combined 289 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the US atmosphere every year. These gases account for more than 30 per cent of all the carbon dioxide emissions Peter H

 

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and we'll sink with california

when it falls into the seaaaaaaa.....

peter VV Sep 21, 2006 11:02 AM Re: California is to sue carmakers for harm to the environment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Times

September 21, 2006

 

 

 

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has had one of his Humvee gas guzzlers converted to take green fuel (Ann Johansson/AP)

 

 

 

 

 

California is to sue carmakers for harm to the environmentFrom Chris Ayres in Los Angeles

Emissions lawsuit an 'intriguing development'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CALIFORNIAS love affair with the car is officially over. In one of the most aggressive moves to confront global warming, the Golden State yesterday sued six car manufacturers, including Ford and General Motors, for damages related to pollution, beach erosion and a reduced drinking water supply. The lawsuit follows a summer of record-breaking 49C (120F) temperatures in California that killed more than 100 people, and comes amid growing concern that Los Angeles would have to be abandoned if the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which supplies most of the citys drinking water, disappears by the end of the century, as some scientists predict. Although no specific sum of compensation was mentioned in the lawsuit, the amount could easily be in the hundreds of millions. It is not clear how cash-strapped American carmakers could afford to pay. Californias decision to take the lead against car emissions is all the more surprising given that California practically invented car culture, depicted in movies from American Graffiti to The Fast and the Furious. Los Angeles is the home of the TV show Pimp My Ride, Dan Neil, the Pulitzer Prize-winning motoring writer, hot-rod races and drive-thru Starbucks outlets. Yet Bill Lockyer, the attorney-general of California, issued a declaration of war yesterday. Vehicle emissions are the single most rapidly growing source of the carbon emissions contributing to global warming, yet the automakers have refused to act, he said. It is time to hold these companies responsible for their contribution to this crisis. The lawsuit which brought to mind litigation against the tobacco industry over lung cancer follows an internationally praised announcement by the Hummer-driving Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, that he wants to cut the Golden States carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The target will involve stiff legislation against factories, power plants and refineries, and even tougher emissions standards for car manufacturers, which have themselves sued California, arguing that the standards are a de facto mandate on fuel economy standards, which can be set only by the federal government. Yesterdays counter-suit from Mr Lockyer was Californias response.

 

 

 

 

 

NI_MPU('middle'); dcmaxversion = 9 dcminversion = 3 Do On Error Resume Next plugin = (IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & dcmaxversion & ""))) If plugin = true Then Exit Do dcmaxversion = dcmaxversion - 1 Loop While dcmaxversion >= dcminversion It accused the car companies, which also included Toyota, DaimlerChrysler, Honda and Nissan, of creating a public nuisance by making vehicles that emit huge quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Many scientists argue that greenhouses gases are causing the Earths climate to warm, devastating agriculture in regions such as Napa Valley, where winemakers are already spraying their vines with sunscreen. About 30 million vehicles are registered in California 10 per cent of the national total for the US. According to Californias lawsuit, vehicles made by the Big Six car manufacturers emit a combined 289 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the US atmosphere every year. These gases account for more than 30 per cent of all the carbon dioxide emissions

Peter H

 

 

 

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As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there's a twilight where everything remains seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness. William O. Douglas