The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Oakland, names
Chrysler Motors Corp.,
General Motors,
Ford Motor Co.,
Toyota Motor North America,
Honda North America and
Nissan North America.
The automakers responded to Lockyer’s lawsuit by issuing a statement saying they already are building cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers did not respond to the substance of Lockyer’s lawsuit, saying manufacturers would need time to review the complaint.
Lockyer is suing on the theory that greenhouse gases are a “public nuisance” under both California and federal law, an argument similar to one being pursued in a case before the 2nd U.S. District Court of Appeals in New York. Connecticut and seven other states, including California, have sued five power companies in an effort to get them to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
The Connecticut lawsuit was dismissed by a district judge who said it attempted to address political questions. In a brief filed in support of the utility companies, the automakers alliance argued that such a suit “opens the door to lawsuits targeting any activity that uses fossil fuel for energy.”