Following California Governor Schwarzenegger’s collusion with his legislature’s democrats to pass a law requiring Californian industries to reduced their carbon dioxide emissions, I expect a flood of lawsuits against industries alleging damage from their emissions. The first has already been filed, against automakers:

“(California) just passed a new law to cut global warming emissions by 25 percent and that’s a good start, and this lawsuit is a good next step,” said Dan Becker, director of the Sierra Club’s Global Warming Program.
[Attorney-General Bill] Lockyer told Reuters he would seek “tens or hundreds of millions of dollars” from the automakers.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for past and ongoing contributions to global warming and asks that the companies be held liable for future monetary damages to California.
It noted that California is spending millions to deal with reduced snow pack, beach erosion, ozone pollution, and the impact on endangered animals and fish.
“The injuries have caused the people to suffer billions of dollars in damages, including millions of dollars of funds expended to determine the extent, location and nature of future harm and to prepare for and mitigate those harms, and billions of dollars of current harm to the value of flood control infrastructure and natural resources,” it said.

The shakedown of the industries that have done the most to contribute to American freedom and prosperity is beginning. This’ll make the tobacco suits look like Judge Judy.