California Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Let Residents Sue Fossil Fuel Companies for Damages After ‘Climate Disasters’

 Oil industry officials say the bill is ‘nothing more than a political opportunity. We need real solutions to help victims in the wake of this tragedy, not theatrics.’

Lawmakers in California are putting forward a bill that would allow victims of “climate-fueled disasters” and insurance companies in the state to sue oil and gas producers for “fueling” disasters such as flooding or wildfires around Los Angeles.

Officials are still investigating the cause of the wildfires but have not ruled out the possibility that arson was involved. Investigators say the Eaton fire, the second largest around Los Angeles, may have been started by wind, causing powerlines to smack against each other, leading to small molten balls of metal falling onto dry ground.

Another theory is that the fire was started accidentally by someone using a camp stove. The high winds and lack of rainfall at the time set the stage for the fires, which may have otherwise remained relatively small blazes, to wreak devastation around Los Angeles. 

Although multiple failures by local officials to respond to issues with water infrastructure severely hindered the ability to fight the fires, a state senator, Scott Wiener, insists climate change was responsible for the wildfires’ level of destruction.

He also believes that oil and gas companies should be on the hook to help pay for the recovery. In a post on X, he wrote, “I’m introducing legislation (SB 222) to ensure oil companies pay for the climate-fueled disasters that are burning & flooding California.

“Californians are bearing these costs with explosive insurance premium increases that make CA less affordable. That has to change,” he added.

The bill would allow victims of “climate disasters to seek damages from fossil fuel companies in court.” It would also let insurance companies “seek damages from fossil fuel companies so that increasing premiums isn’t their only way to recoup losses.”

“Californians shouldn’t be the only ones to pay the costs of devastating climate disasters. From last year’s floods to the fires in LA, we know that the fossil fuel industry bears ultimate responsibility for fueling these disasters,” Mr. Wiener insisted. 

He also claimed fossil fuel companies “knew” disasters such as wildfires would happen, and he pointed out that a preliminary assessment of the damage caused by the Palisades Fire came in at more than $250 billion. 

Climate activists celebrated the bill as a solution to soaring insurance premiums. In a statement, California Environmental Voters said, “When CA faces an affordability crisis in insurance, it doesn’t just hurt us — it ripples across the entire country, affecting affordability and economies everywhere. Big Oil’s actions have led to this crisis, and it’s time they pay their fair share.”

However, the bill received criticism from oil and gas industry groups. The Western States Petroleum Association said in a statement, “It is a shame that Sen. Scott Wiener and Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez see the Los Angeles fires as nothing more than a political opportunity. We need real solutions to help victims in the wake of this tragedy, not theatrics.”

“The announcement of today’s proposal is the latest installment of an ongoing effort to scapegoat our industry — and the thousands of hardworking women and men who keep California running — for political gain, while complex problems continue to go unsolved,” the WSPA said. 

Meanwhile, the California Independent Petroleum Association told Courthouse News the bill takes “attention away from the real reasons for the devastation,” such as arsonists, “environmental activist lawsuits preventing forest management and brush clearing, mismanagement by state and local officials including cuts to firefighting budgets,” and a lack of water. 

If the bill becomes law, it would make California the first state in America to allow for such lawsuits. Other states in recent months have passed similar laws seeking to fine oil and gas companies for climate change.

In December, Governor Hochul of New York signed the Climate Change Superfund Act, which requires that companies seen as responsible for the majority of carbon emissions between 2000 and 2024 pay roughly $3 billion a year for the next 25 years. Vermont also implemented a similar requirement last year. 

While Mr. Wiener’s proposal seeks to let residents and insurance companies extract damages from fossil fuel companies for their alleged liability for the fires, residents at Los Angeles appear to have a slightly different target for litigation: city hall.

Since the fires broke out and destroyed more than 16,000 structures around Los Angeles, residents have been suing the city government for failing to maintain water supplies to ensure firefighters could combat the blazes. At least two class action lawsuits filed have said the Santa Ynez Reservoir was kept offline for far too long after it was drained to allow for repairs in February 2024 and then left empty for almost a year. The plaintiffs say the failure to re-fill the reservoir led to water shortages that hindered efforts to stop the wildfires.

https://www.nysun.com/article/california-lawmakers-residents-sue-fossil-fuel-companies-damages-climate-disasters