As Extreme Weather Decimates Communities, Reps. Chu & Nadler Join Sen. Van Hollen to Introduce Legislation to Make Polluters Pay for Fueling Climate Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Jerry Nadler (NY-12) joined Sen. Chris Van Hollen (MD) to introduce bicameral legislation that would require the biggest corporate polluters to begin paying their fair share to confront the climate crisis. The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act requires the largest U.S.-based fossil fuel extractors and oil refiners and foreign-owned companies doing business in the U.S. to pay into a $1 trillion Polluters Pay Climate Fund, with their contributions based on a percentage of their global emissions. The Fund would then be used to finance a wide range of efforts to tackle the impacts of climate change.

"Right now, wildfires are raging in and around my district in Southern California due to yet another year of record-breaking heat and wind conditions, and historic droughts, unprecedented winter storms, and other extreme weather disasters devastate communities around the country," said Rep. Chu. "The fossil fuel corporations responsible for worsening the climate crisis continue to reap massive profits while assuming none of the cost for the harmful emissions they produce, leaving taxpayers on the hook to pay the price. It's past time for these corporations to pay their fair share and help fund our work to address the climate catastrophe they helped create, so we're introducing the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act to hold them accountable."

"For over 60 years, the fossil fuel industry has been fully aware of its role in driving the climate crisis. Despite this, the industry has done little to nothing to address the harmful effects their practices have had on the environment and public health," said Rep. Nadler. "Instead, American taxpayers have been unfairly burdened with the costs of mitigating the destructive effects of the climate crisis. It is long past time for our nation to prioritize the health and well-being of our communities over the interests of the fossil fuel industry. That's why I'm proud to introduce the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act with Senator Van Hollen and Representative Chu to finally force the fossil fuel industry to pay its fair share to address the damage it has inflicted on our planet, and help the American people tackle this crisis head-on."

"From sweltering heat waves to rising sea levels to ever more intense storms, our planet is screaming out every day for us to take action on global warming. And after fueling the climate crisis for decades, big polluters can no longer run from their responsibility to address the harm they have done. The principle behind this legislation is simple but very powerful - polluters should pay to clean up the mess they made and build a more resilient future, and those who have polluted the most should pay the most," said Sen. Van Hollen.

The full text of the bill is available here. A two-pager on the bill is available here.

The bill is cosponsored in the House byReps. Becca Balint (VT-AL), Andre Carson (IN-07), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

The bill is cosponsored in the Senate bySens. Ed Markey (MA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Bernie Sanders (VT), Elizabeth Warren (MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI). The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act is endorsed by a wide range of conservation and environmental justice organizations, includingChesapeake Climate Action Network, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, Food & Water Watch, Climate Accountability Institute, Union of Concerned Scientists, Working Families Party, The Rachel Carson Council, Greenpeace USA, CASA, Climate Action California, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Evergreen Action, Oxfam America, Sunrise Movement, Surfrider Foundation, Clean Water Action, Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE), Oil and Gas Action Network, South Seattle Climate Action Network, 350 Conejo / San Fernando Valley, Human Impact Partners, Climate Equity Policy Center, Sustainable Mill Valley, 350Brooklyn, Climate Hawks Vote, Gen-Z for Change, Physicians for Social Responsibility Maine, Better Future Project, Third Act Maryland, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, Texas Physicians for Social Responsibility, Elders Climate Action (ECA) Northern California (NorCal) Chapter, Elders Climate Action (ECA) Southern California (SoCal) Chapter, 350 Bay Area Action, Concerned Health Professionals of PA, NC League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, 350 Seattle, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Advocates NY, California Environmental Voters, Bold Alliance, Maine Conservation Voters, 198 methods, Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, NY Public Interest Research Group, Zero Hour, Vermont Natural Resources Council, 350.org, Voices for Progress, New York Communities for Change, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund (OEC Action Fund), Center for Popular Democracy / CPDAction, and Vessel Project of Louisiana.

"The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act is a common-sense solution to long-standing injustice. For decades, fossil fuel companies have knowingly contributed to the climate crisis, raking in record profits while passing the costs of their pollution onto communities, taxpayers, and future generations," said Aaron McCall, Federal Advocacy Coordinator, California Environmental Voters. "This bill shifts the burden back to where it belongs - onto the companies most responsible for the climate impacts we're witnessing. By allocating 40% of the fund to those who have been disproportionately harmed by pollution and the climate crisis, we can begin to right the wrongs of the past."

"From disastrous flooding in Vermont to catastrophic wildfires in California, communities and taxpayers simply don't have the resources to rebuild and recover. Ironically the only entities on the planet with the resources to make us whole are the very companies whose predatory profit-focus caused the problem in the first place. The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act will send critically needed resources to suffering communities, at a fair and manageable cost to the polluters. This is a solution that is both just and hopeful," said Janet Cox, CEO, Climate Action California.

"The introduction of the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act by Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Nadler is a game-changing moment in our fight for climate justice! We're seeing incredible momentum building across the nation, with strong public support for holding big polluters accountable. As communities grapple with the mounting costs of climate disasters, it's high time we make fossil fuel companies pay their fair share. This bill isn't just about accountability - it's about investing in a resilient, clean energy future that works for all of us. The groundswell of support for making polluters pay shows that Americans are ready for bold action on climate. This legislation is a crucial step forward in ensuring that those who profited from pollution bear the costs of addressing the climate crisis they helped create," saidCassidy DiPaola, Communications Director at Fossil Free Media and Spokesperson for the Make Polluters Pay campaign.

"Big Polluters know fossil fuels significantly worsen the climate crisis, and yet they have continued to pollute our communities, the air we breathe, and the water we drink across the country for decades. We applaud Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Nadler for leading on the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act to hold Big Polluters accountable and protect communities who are experiencing the devastating impacts of fossil-fueled extreme weather and environmental injustice, especially communities of color and communities with low-wealth that have been most harmed by fossil fuel development," said Sara Chieffo, Vice President of Government Affairs, League of Conservation Voters.

"Communities are suffering from the consequences of the actions of Big Oil and Gas corporate polluters, in the form of daily pollution from oil and gas as well as damage caused by worsening extreme weather driven by climate change. We can not continue to expect taxpayers to bear the biggest burden in rebuilding and repairing the damage caused by the business activities of multi-billion dollar companies," said Mahyar Sorour, Sierra Club's Director of Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy. "We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Nadler in ensuring fossil fuel companies do their part to clean up the messes they have caused. We hope this is just the beginning of making polluters pay."

"We applaud the leadership of Senator Van Hollen, Representative Nadler and Representative Chu for introducing the Polluters Pay Climate Act of 2024. It is time for fossil fuel companies to pay for the damage they have done to our communities from decades of climate pollution. By directing revenue from fossil fuel companies to help communities dealing with the impacts of wildfires, floods, droughts, and other climate change driven extreme weather events, we can start to right historic harms caused by the fossil fuel industry," said Jim Walsh, Policy Director, Food & Water Watch.

"At a time that demands urgent climate policy solutions, the Rachel Carson Council applauds Senator Van Hollen, Representative Nadler, and Representative Chu for their important and timely legislation -- the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2024. Corporations responsible for exacerbating the effects of climate change in this country have gotten away for far too long with their reckless polluting. After decades of knowingly skyrocketing greenhouse gas emissions and fighting efforts to reduce them, it is time for the nation's top polluters to foot the bill for the environmental degradation and health risks they have created. We strongly urge all members of Congress to support this bill and all future efforts to create a sustainable, livable future for all Americans," said Bob Musil, PhD, MPH, President & CEO, the Rachel Carson Council.

"The fossil fuel industry has foreseen for decades that continued use of their products would cause grievous harm to the global climate, planetary biodiversity, and human civilization," said Richard Heede, Director of the Climate Accountability Institute. "This legislation is a great step toward holding fossil fuel companies accountable. Citizens, victims, and taxpayers should not alone pay for climate remedies and resilience."

Zanagee Artis, Executive Director of Zero Hour, said,"For over sixty years, the oil and gas sector has known about the threat that fossil fuels pose to life on earth. Big Oil is still fighting to entrench oil and gas in our energy system, and the youngest generations of people on earth could inherit a world devastated by catastrophic climate change as a result. The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2024 is accountability for an industry that has escaped it for far too long, and every member of Congress who wants a livable planet should fight to pass this bill."

"Major oil, gas, and coal corporations have raked in enormous profits while communities bear the brunt of the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis-including extreme heat, stronger hurricanes, extreme flooding, and more devastating wildfires. Environmental racism compounds the harm for Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. Making the largest fossil fuel polluters fund a comprehensive and equitable federal response to climate change is one important step toward holding these companies accountable for their destructive and deadly business. Importantly, this proposal also safeguards state and local action and preserves access to justice for climate damages and deception through the courts," said Kathy Mulvey, Climate Accountability Campaign Director, Union of Concerned Scientists.

"The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2024 is a bold step toward finally holding Big Oil accountable for their role in fueling the climate crisis. For over 60 years, corporate polluters have knowingly damaged our planet and endangered frontline communities. Big Oil has bent over backwards to cover up the science and stall climate action to protect their profits, saddling the American people with a crisis that is costing us billions every year. This bill would begin to right those wrongs by forcing the top polluters to pay into the Polluters Pay Climate Fund, proportional to the climate pollution they're responsible for. The Fund will help address the impacts of the climate crisis and notably, will set aside 40 percent for investments that will benefit environmental justice communities. It's time to make polluters pay for the crisis they largely created-and the majorityof Americans agree," said Evergreen Action's Senior Policy Lead for Energy Transition Mattea Mrkusic.

"Fossil fuel companies continue to invest a pittance in clean energy technologies, doubling down and cashing in on the climate chaos they deliberately created. Meanwhile millions of the world's most marginalized people around the world are paying the ultimate price with their lives, their homes, or their livelihoods," said Ashfaq Khalfan, Climate Justice Director at Oxfam America. "The biggest fossil fuel polluters will be responsible for trillions of dollars in climate harms by 2050. They have the funds to pay for the damages - just 45 energy corporations raked in on average $237 billion every year in windfall profits in 2021 and 2022. The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2024 is an important step to make sure that rich polluters pay to fix the damage. It will also prevent carbon pollution by sending a clear signal to companies that the more they pollute, the more they will pay."

"It's way past time for polluters to clean up the disastrous damage they've done to our health, wildlife and the climate," said Ben Goloff, climate strategist at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. "Enough of their raking in record profits at the public's expense. It's just basic fairness to hold polluters, not taxpayers, accountable for the cleanup bill."

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