JURIST - Paper Chase: Automakers seek dismissal of California global warming lawsuit

[JURIST] Six leading US and Japanese automakers Friday asked a federal judge to dismissal a California lawsuit alleging that vehicle emissions of greenhouse gases [EPA backgrounder] from cars made by the companies have contributed to global warming constituting a 'public nuisance' that has cost the state millions of dollars. California Attorney General filed [JURIST report] the suit [complaint, PDF] in September against Chrysler, General Motors Corporation, Ford, Toyota, Honda and Nissan, alleging that vehicles manufactured by the companies "currently account for nearly 20 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions in the United States and more that 30 percent in California." The automakers say that disagreements they may have with the state should be settled through the regulatory process, not litigation. AP has more.

California passed the nation's first bill [JURIST report] to restrict greenhouse gas emissions in early September. The legislation's goal is to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent before 2020.

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