“Don’t trade liability relief for a carbon price” Says House Blueprint on climate

Language in the Select Committee’s report is the latest milestone in growing opposition in Congress to giving fossil fuel companies liability relief 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House leadership embraced the message of making polluters pay in the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis’ report. On page 287 the report reads “Congress should not offer liability relief or nullify Clean Air Act authorities or other existing statutory duties to cut pollution in exchange for a carbon price.” This language results from a groundswell of support among House members for not letting Exxon and others off the hook.

In May 60 members of the House led by Congressman Raskin wrote a letter urging House leadership not to trade away fossil fuel liability in any climate policy. The letter was signed by Congresswoman Kathy Castor, chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. The House Progressive Caucus also wrote to the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis saying “Congress must protect access to the courts by rejecting any legislation that includes a liability waiver for the fossil fuel industry and those whose conduct significantly contributed to the climate crisis.”

The fossil fuel industry knew that human caused climate change would be “catastrophic” 40 years ago, but instead of warning the world, they launched a decades long disinformation campaign. Their lies have brought us to the brink of climate catastrophe, and that is why municipalities across the country are suing the fossil fuel industry to recover the cost of damages incurred by climate change.

“Today’s committee report shows that Democrats are united in protecting legal recourse for communities most impacted by the climate crisis.” Said Jamie DeMarco, federal campaign coordinator for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund is a non-profit building a grassroots movement to stop climate change in the region surrounding our nation’s capital.

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