What is the NJ Climate Superfund Act?

The New Jersey Climate Superfund Act is a groundbreaking piece of legislation designed to hold major fossil fuel companies accountable for the damage they have caused to the state’s environment and communities. Modeled after the federal Superfund law, the bill would require the largest polluters to pay for the costs of climate-related damages—such as rising sea levels, worsening storms, extreme heat, and flooding—rather than shifting the financial burden onto taxpayers. The funds collected would be used to support climate adaptation and resilience efforts across New Jersey, particularly in communities that have been hardest hit by climate change.

This legislation is an ethical imperative because it upholds the principle of polluter responsibility. For decades, fossil fuel corporations have knowingly contributed to the climate crisis while profiting immensely, often misleading the public about the risks. Meanwhile, frontline communities—particularly low-income neighborhoods and communities of color—bear the greatest impacts of climate disasters. It is unjust to expect the people of New Jersey to foot the bill for a crisis they did not create. The NJ Climate Superfund Act represents a moral commitment to fairness, environmental justice, and the safeguarding of future generations. It ensures that those most responsible for climate destruction contribute to the necessary solutions.