Bipartisan Measure Urges State to Join Growing Number of Lawsuits Seeking to Hold Big Oil Accountable for Climate Change Costs; Resolution Now Goes to N.J. Senate

Trenton, N.J. -  The New Jersey Senate’s Environment and Energy committee today approved a resolution calling on Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal “to pursue legal action against fossil fuel companies for damages caused by climate change.” It now goes to the full state Senate for consideration. 

The bipartisan proposal, Senate Resolution 57, cites the oil and gas industry’s decades-long knowledge that their products posed a “catastrophic” threat to the climate. It outlines many of the costly damages that climate change is now causing to New Jersey’s property, infrastructure, and residents through more intense superstorms, flooding, coastal erosion, heatwaves, and more. 

“Any corporation that makes a product that causes severe harm when used as intended should shoulder the costs of abating that harm,” the resolution reads in part. “...The State of New Jersey should take all appropriate legal action to protect the State from climate change impacts by shifting costs associated with climate change back onto the companies who knew their actions were contributing to climate change and its dangerous impacts, but continued to product, promote, market, and sell fossil fuels.” 

SR57 is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Lorretta Weinberg and Senator Joseph P. Cryan and co-sponsored by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman. 

Multiple elected officials and environmental leaders testified in support of the resolution at today’s committee hearing. 

  • Bradley Beach Council President John Weber pointed to billions of dollars the state has been forced to spend on beach replenishment and said his borough council passed its own resolution calling on the state to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate change costs after learning that the industry knew about the harms they were causing for decades. “Hold these companies accountable and get them to pay up,” Weber said.

  • Toms River Councilwoman Laurie Huryk said the effects of Superstorm Sandy cost her township approximately $62 million and forced the township and many residents to go into debt to pay for the damage. 

  • Lauren O’Brien of Pay Up Climate Polluters NJ spoke on behalf of a coalition of 60 organizations across the state that support litigation to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for the costs of climate damages. “I strongly urge you to pass SR57 and add your voice to the growing number of taxpayers, organizations, and elected leaders who believe New Jersyans shouldn’t bear this burden alone,” O’Brien testified. 

  • Groups including the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), New Jersey Sierra Club, Environment New Jersey, Clean Water Action New Jersey, and Clean Ocean Action also voiced their support of the resolution. 

Earlier this year, the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders passed a resolution in support of SR57, and the borough councils of Sea Bright and Bradley Beach passed their own resolutions calling on the state to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate change costs.

Last year, a study from the Center for Climate Integrity estimated that New Jersey will have to spend $25 billion on seawalls over the next 20 years to protect homes, infrastructure, and businesses from sea level rise. 

Audio of the committee hearing will be available later today at https://www.njleg.state.nj.us