Small North Carolina town sues energy "goliath" in historic climate action

Lawsuit accuses Duke Energy of waging a “deception campaign’ to obscure the climate dangers of fossil fuels.

Duke Energy’s deception about its emissions has led to delayed climate action that has in turn placed a burden on Carrboro , the suit says.

The town is seeking damages for the climate-fueled costs of adapting roads and infrastructure to increased flooding, and increased energy costs.

In October , Oregon ’s Multnomah county , which includes Portland , became the first municipality to sue a utility over climate deception.

Ford county, Kansas , sued major fossil fuel interests, alleging they had waged “a decades -long campaign of fraud and deception about the recyclability of plastics”.