Eight States Call Climate Change a Public Nuisance

Ills caused by global climate change range from increased frequency of asthma and heat stroke to more intense storms and species extinction. While environmentalists go far past calling the phenomenon a “nuisance,” they are applauding eight states and one city for doing just that. The attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, along with the counsel of New York City, caused a stir in July when they sued five energy companies for contributing to climate change.

The companies—American Electric Power, Cinergy, the Southern Company, Xcel Energy, and the Tennessee Valley Authority—collectively operate 174 power plants in 20 states, releasing 650 million tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide each year. They are responsible for 10% of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions and about 2.5% of all global emissions.