Carrboro town officials filed a lawsuit against Charlotte-based Duke Energy Wednesday morning, accusing the company — one of the country's largest operators of coal and natural gas power plants — of leading a "nationwide climate deception scheme" that has worsened the climate crisis and cost the town millions.

The North Carolina town alleges that Duke executives knew greenhouse gases were harmful as early as 1968 and continued to promote their use.

A town in North Carolina sued utility firm Duke Energy on Wednesday, accusing the company of deceiving its customers and the broader public about the harms of climate change.