Originally published Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Alaska village sues over warming

Lawyers for the Alaska Native coastal village of Kivalina, which is being forced to relocate because of flooding caused by the changing...

By The New York Times

SAN FRANCISCO — Lawyers for the Alaska Native coastal village of Kivalina, which is being forced to relocate because of flooding caused by the changing Arctic climate, filed suit in federal court here Tuesday arguing that five oil companies, 14 electric utilities and the country's largest coal company are responsible for the village's woes.

The suit is the latest effort to hold the companies responsible for the impact of global warming because they emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases. It accused them of creating a public nuisance and conspiracy.

Kivalina, an Inupiat village of 400 people on a barrier reef between the Chukchi Sea and two rivers, was once blocked by sea ice. Now, the suit says, waves are causing a massive erosion problem. "Houses and buildings are in imminent danger of falling into the sea," it said.

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