SACRAMENTO —Environmental and social justice advocates are applauding the introduction of the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act, a common sense bill that would require fossil fuel corporations to pay for the climate devastation they have fueled across California. The companion bills SB 684 and AB 1243, introduced today by Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) and Asm. Dawn Addis (D-San Luis Obispo), seek to establish a statewide program under California’s Environmental Protection Agency to assess fees on the largest historical emitters of climate pollution. The legislation follows the historic wildfires in Los Angeles, which caused $250 billion in damages and took the lives of 29 people. 

In response, Food & Water Watch California State Director Nicole Ghio issued the following statement:

“If recent months have shown us anything, it’s that California is facing an unprecedented set of climate-related challenges. We are seeing the impacts of fossil fuel-driven climate chaos all around us: devastating wildfires, periods of intense heat and flooding, and poor air quality plaguing our communities. Californians are in desperate need of expanded resources to protect our communities, and we know we can’t rely on any help from the corrupt, vindictive Trump-Musk regime. The Polluters Pay Climate Superfund will make corporate polluters pay for the damages they cause and ensure we have proper resources to address the climate crisis and rebuild after disasters like January’s wildfires. The Polluters Pay Climate Superfund bill sends the clear message that the major polluters that are responsible – not taxpayers – will have to pay for the damage they cause.”