Eroding Alaska village appeals dismissal of lawsuit saying oil, power, coal companies to blame
By , APThursday, January 28, 2010
Eroding Alaska village appeals lawsuit’s dismissal
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — One of Alaska’s most eroded villages wants to revive a lawsuit that claims greenhouse gasses from oil, power and coal companies are to blame for the climate change endangering the tiny community.
The city of Kivalina and a federally recognized tribe, the Alaska Native village of Kivalina, filed the case in federal court in San Francisco in 2008, but it was dismissed in October. Now they’re appealing to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Oil giants Exxon Mobil Corp. and BP PLC are among two dozen defendants named in the lawsuit.
Kivalina’s attorney, Matt Pawa of suburban Boston, says the plaintiffs want monetary damages to help with the estimated $400 million cost to relocate the northwest Alaska village.
Exxon and BP declined to comment on the appeal Thursday.
