New Jersey lawmakers are weighing a sweeping bill that could force some of the world's biggest oil companies to pay billions for the damage their pollution has caused to local communities.
According to Inside Climate News, the Climate Superfund Act would hold fossil fuel corporations financially accountable for knowingly producing at least 1 billion tons of heat-trapping pollution since 1995. If it passes, the state could collect an estimated $40 billion over the next 25 years to fund resilience projects such as seawalls, wetlands restoration, and stormwater infrastructure.
Supporters say the proposal builds on Vermont and New York's versions of the law, which are already being challenged in court.
"Does the taxpayer pay, or do the folks who were responsible and knowingly responsible for climate change ante up?" asked state Sen. John McKeon, one of the bill's sponsors.
New Jersey is especially vulnerable to worsening storms and rising sea levels. Communities are still repairing damage from deadly floods this summer that claimed lives and destroyed homes. The proposed bill would direct corporate funds to help towns rebuild, rather than leaving residents to shoulder the costs alone.
However, the measure faces pushback from business groups, which argue companies shouldn't be punished for activities that were legal at the time.
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Critics warn that costs will trickle down to consumers through higher gas and utility bills. As of now, fewer than 10% of New Jersey municipalities have formally endorsed the plan.
Fossil fuels — coal, oil, and gas — are the leading driver of the planet's overheating. Burning them releases harmful carbon pollution that fuels extreme weather, while drilling and refining pollute air and water, driving up health risks like asthma and even premature deaths.
A recent study published in Science Advances estimated that oil and gas pollution alone causes more than 91,000 premature deaths in the U.S. every year, with the heaviest toll on vulnerable communities.
That's why advocates argue it's time for polluters to pay. "Trump is gutting EPA, he is gutting all of our resilience programs … this is going to be on the backs of average New Jerseyans; they did not emit that much carbon," said Ben Dziobek, director of the Climate Revolution Action Network.
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For residents in storm-battered towns like Plainfield, the debate is more than politics. It's about fairness and, more importantly, survival.
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