Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
smog_over_la.jpg

If you think Eliot Spitzer picked some tough fights as Attorney General, check out this guy Lockyer in California:

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California filed a global warming lawsuit on Wednesday against Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Toyota Motor Corp. and three other automakers, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have cost the state millions of dollars.

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer said the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California was the first of its kind to seek to hold manufacturers liable for the damages caused by their vehicles' emissions.

The lawsuit also names Chrysler Motors Corp., the U.S. arm of Germany's DaimlerChrysler, and the North American units of Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd..

It also charges that vehicle emissions have contributed significantly to global warming and harmed the resources, infrastructure and environmental health of the most populous state in the United States.

Lockyer, a Democrat, said the complaint states that under federal and state common law the automakers have created a public nuisance by producing "millions of vehicles that collectively emit massive quantities of carbon dioxide."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

How a ‘Universal Basic Neighborhood’ Can Help Americans Live Longer

Want to increase your chances of living to 80? A new paper argues we need to start with our neighborhoods — and we need to do it for everybody.

March 24, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines Keep Our Eyes on the Road

How much responsibility do tech companies bear for traffic deaths caused by distracted driving?

March 24, 2026

Opinion: Adding Parking to Sports Stadiums Makes It Harder for Everyone To Get Around

A Chicago advocate makes the case against expanding car storage at Cubs games.

March 23, 2026

Why This State Is Fighting To Get Its First ‘Active Transportation Plan’

...and why other states should work to adopt or update plans of their own.

March 23, 2026

Monday’s Headlines Are Stuck Behind a Robot

Cities will soon be inundated with autonomous vehicles that will create even more traffic congestion. Are cities prepared?

March 23, 2026

Op-Ed: Don’t Let Fear Flatten Progress on E-Bikes

Advocates react to E-bike legislation in California, New Jersey, and beyond.

March 20, 2026
See all posts