ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Texaco Inc. Again Sued Over Rain Forest Damage: Peruvian rain forest dwellers filed a $1-billion lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York, alleging that the oil company spoiled their environment, lawyers for the plaintiffs said. Texaco is accused of dumping into rivers that flow from Ecuador to Peru and of designing its 400 wells in Ecuador knowing that millions of gallons of oil would end up in Peru. The suit also blames the oil company for a dramatically increased risk of cancer in the region. Earlier this week, the company said it asked a federal judge to dismiss a suit filed by several Ecuadorean Indian groups last year that sought $1.5 billion for rain forest damage. Texaco said it reached agreement with the Ecuadorean government to pay an unspecified amount.