A lawsuit filed by the town of Carrboro accuses Duke Energy of misleading the public with a decades-long “conspiracy of deception” about climate change impacts.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The town of Carrboro, North Carolina, filed a lawsuit against Duke Energy, alleging the utility provider engaged in a decades-long campaign of deception regarding climate change.
The lawsuit was filed in North Carolina Superior Court on Wednesday. The town is seeking compensation from Duke Energy due to damages incurred by climate change. The suit doesn’t specify a dollar amount the town is seeking from Duke. Carrboro is located in Orange County, about 140 miles northeast of Charlotte.
“Duke actively participated in a far-reaching, decades-long campaign to deceive the public and decision-makers about these dangers,” the suit says, accusing Duke of increasing the use of fossil fuels in disadvantaged communities.
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Carrboro officials claim that Duke Energy knew about climate change risks as far back as 1968, but participated in a “conspiracy of deception” to mislead the public about its commitment to clean energy. The suit claims the town of Carrboro will suffer millions of dollars in damages due to the impacts of climate change.
The town says Duke’s actions cost its residents millions of dollars because climate change increased damage from floods and other extreme weather. Duke Energy told the New York Times that it is reviewing the complaint.
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