Making Fossil Fuel Companies Pay for New Jersey's Climate Adaptation
Official: A 3735 — "Polluters Pay to Make New Jersey More Affordable Act"; imposes cost recovery payments on certain fossil fuel companies for funds needed for climate change adaptation; establishes program in DEP to collect and oversee distribution of funds.**
Reading: Proposes a new liability and compensation program targeting fossil fuel companies for climate-change damages, establishing a state mechanism to collect and distribute payments for climate harms.
The goal is to shift some of the cost of climate adaptation onto the companies responsible for fossil fuel emissions.
In clear language
This bill requires certain fossil fuel companies to make cost-recovery payments to help fund New Jersey's efforts to adapt to climate change. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would collect these payments and manage how the money is used. The goal is to shift some of the cost of climate adaptation onto the companies responsible for fossil fuel emissions.
How does this affect you?
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Who does this affect?
- Fossil fuel companies operating in or selling to New Jersey
- New Jersey residents who may benefit from climate adaptation programs funded by these payments
- The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which would administer the fund
- Communities vulnerable to climate impacts like flooding and extreme heat
What can you do?
- Contact your Assembly representative to express support or concerns about holding fossil fuel companies accountable for climate costs
- Learn about climate adaptation projects in your community that may be funded by this program once it is established
- Stay informed about how DEP uses collected funds by checking the agency's website or local news
Timeline
- 2026-06-23: Reported out of Assembly Committee with amendments; advanced to second reading
In the press
Coverage in NJ.com discusses New Jersey's 'polluters pay' climate bill, which would require fossil fuel companies to fund the state's climate adaptation costs rather than shifting those expenses to families and residents. One article reports that the fate of this controversial 'polluters pay' climate bill has become uncertain.
- NJ.comMake polluters pay for N.J. climate and cleanup costs | Opinion
- NJ.comClimate change is already costing N.J. Big polluters should pay, not us. | Opinion
- NJ.comWhy should N.J. families pay for climate damage caused by fossil fuel giants? | Opinion
- NJ.comThe fate of N.J.’s controversial ‘polluters pay’ climate bill is now uncertain.
- NJ.comThis is how we make polluters pay, not N.J. families. | Opinion
Coverage retrieved automatically from major and NJ outlets. Links go to the original reporting; the summary above draws only on these headlines.
No New Jersey official has a verified action on this policy yet.
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