Earlier today, the Senate version of the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act, a vital bill that would require fossil fuel corporations to pay for the climate devastation they have contributed to across California, passed out of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee in a 5-3 vote.

In conjunction with the vote, grassroots groups overflowed the hearing room in support of the bill, and rallied outside the Western State Petroleum Association building in Sacramento to demand that polluters, not everyday Californians, pay for the billions of dollars in climate damages fossil fuels contribute to in the state.

Food & Water Watch California Director Nicole Ghio released the following statement: 

“The number of Californians who came out to support this bill should signal to lawmakers that there is a large – and growing – desire to hold polluters accountable for their role in driving the climate crisis. For too long, polluters have profited from their rampant pollution while Californians have been left footing the bill. And we cannot rely on support from the federal government when disaster strikes, as the Musk-Trump administration continues to loot and privatize public resources and politicize relief. California needs the revenue from this legislation to prepare for and recover after the next climate change induced disaster. We applaud the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act sponsors and supporters for moving this vital bill forward.”