Advocates call for oil companies to pay for climate change

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Environmentalists gathered in Albany on Thursday to call on oil companies to pick up the tab on climate damages in New York. Some lawmakers and advocates hope to pass the Climate Change Superfund Act, a newly amended bill that they say would hold oil companies responsible for pollution.

Under the bill, the companies would pay $3 billion a year for the next 25 years to help fund New York State's green initiatives.

"Should New York tax payers pay for the billions of dollars in damages or should the oil companies?" NYPIRG Exec. Dir. Blair Horner said. "We believe it's the oil companies. They are the ones who caused the problem by undermining the science of climate change and advocating against reforms that would protect us."

The bill was introduced in both the state senate and assembly. Advocates are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to include it in the state's budget proposal that is due by the end of January.