Carrboro, a progressive town in North Carolina, has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against Duke Energy, accusing the utility company of misleading the public about the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels and its role in exacerbating climate change.
The 70-page complaint, filed in Orange County Superior Court, asserts that Duke Energy intentionally downplayed the dangers posed by fossil fuel consumption, causing harm to the environment and increasing the severity of climate-related events, including storms, flooding, and rising temperatures. The town is seeking compensation for the damages caused to its infrastructure as a result of these climate impacts.
At the heart of Carrboro’s legal action is the desire to hold Duke Energy accountable for the growing costs of climate change, which the town argues it should not have to bear. Mayor Lydia Lavelle explained at a press conference that the town has been tracking the financial damage from climate-related events, including road maintenance, stormwater infrastructure repairs, and escalating electricity costs to combat heatwaves.
The lawsuit seeks to shift the financial burden away from the local government and taxpayers, who have already been grappling with the effects of climate change.
Carrboro Takes Legal Action Against Duke Energy Over Climate Change Damages in Groundbreaking LawsuitThe town council voted unanimously in favor of the lawsuit, and Mayor Lavelle expressed confidence in Carrboro’s bold decision to take legal action. Posters displayed at the press conference declared “CARRBORO VS. FOSSIL FUELS” and “STOP CLIMATE DECEPTION,” underscoring the town’s commitment to confronting the climate crisis. While other municipalities have previously sued oil and gas companies over environmental damages, Carrboro is the first to target an electric utility, marking an unprecedented legal challenge in the fight against climate change.
Carrboro, home to around 21,000 residents, has long been known for its progressive values and activism. The town’s bold legal action is consistent with its history of pushing for social and political change. It was the first in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor in 1995 and to grant benefits to same-sex partners of town employees in 1994. In recent years, Carrboro has taken progressive stances on various issues, including advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and discussing the potential renaming of the town due to its namesake’s ties to slavery.
The town’s culture of activism is supported by its highly educated population, with about 70 percent of adults holding at least a bachelor’s degree. This intellectual climate, combined with the town’s progressive values, makes Carrboro a natural leader in the fight against climate change and a fitting candidate to spearhead this lawsuit against Duke Energy. The lawsuit aligns with the town’s ongoing efforts to serve as a fierce advocate for progressive causes.
While Carrboro is bearing the legal costs of the lawsuit, the town is receiving financial support from NC WARN, a nonprofit organization, which is funding the legal action. The town is also partnering with the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity to pursue the case. In response to the lawsuit, Duke Energy stated that it is reviewing the complaint but reaffirmed its commitment to providing clean energy and working with policymakers to keep rates as low as possible while serving its customers and communities.