McKeon renews push for ‘Make Polluters Pay’ bill after storms, deadly heat wave

In a statement released Friday, McKeon pointed to widespread flooding, power outages and heat-related deaths as evidence that climate change is already exacting a growing toll on the state.

“Recent storms swept across New Jersey and left whole towns underwater and hundreds of thousands of people without power. Last week, over two dozen residents tragically passed away amid the extreme heat. These are stark reminders that climate change is no longer a distant threat—it is already here, and it is a crisis that we must address today. These increasingly frequent and more destructive disasters wreak havoc on our homes and infrastructure, threaten public health, and place an enormous financial burden on our communities.”

McKeon said, “The funds raised by this legislation would go toward climate change adaptation and resiliency projects to safeguard our state better as we continue to face disasters in the future. I look forward to working with my partners,” the Essex County Democrat said.

The bill, S2338, sponsored primarily by McKeon, would establish a Department of Environmental Protection program empowered to collect up to $50 billion from companies deemed responsible for large greenhouse gas emissions. The proceeds would be deposited into a Climate Adaptation, Resiliency, and Affordability Fund.

State agencies would recommend climate resilience projects twice each year, with the trust submitting a list to the Legislature. Funding would ultimately be appropriated through the annual budget process.

The legislation attracted 42 Assembly sponsors and advanced through both the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the Senate Budget Committee. But despite that support, lawmakers voiced significant concerns as the measure neared the June 30 budget deadline.

Although the bill was posted for a Senate vote on June 30, it was never posted in the Assembly. Because it was classified as a revenue measure, it was required to pass the Assembly before reaching the Senate. McKeon had expressed confidence that the bill had sufficient support in the upper house, but reservations raised in the Assembly foreshadowed defections that ultimately kept the measure from reaching the floor.

Supporters say recent weather events have only strengthened their resolve.

Outside organizations, including Climate Revolution Action Network and the New Jersey chapter of Food & Water Watch, said the recent heat wave and flooding reinforce the need for the legislation and pledged to continue pressing lawmakers for its passage when the Legislature returns.

“This record-breaking heat wave shows why we need to make polluters pay. Climate change is doing real damage to our state, and we’re all paying for it with our lives and our wallets,” said Ben Dziobek, Director of Climate Revolution Action Network New Jersey. “Young people are sick and tired of paying for a crisis we didn’t create. We’re going to keep building over the summer to get this bill over the finish line,” he said.

Matt Smith, New Jersey State Director of Food & Water Watch, reiterated that the organization intends to continue its campaign.

“We’re not going anywhere. We’ve built support in every corner of this state, and we’ll be back to pass this bill,” he said.

Amy Goldsmith, New Jersey State Director of Clean Water Action, went further, stating the bill being pulled demonstrated

“Trenton politics at its worst. We have the votes, just didn’t get a vote. Business lobbyists are using misinformation to slow this down because they know they can’t win on the facts. We have the facts on our side and the people on our side. We’re going to win this.”

Business organizations, however, remain firmly opposed.

The New Jersey Business & Industry Association welcomed the bill’s removal from the voting agenda after mounting an aggressive lobbying campaign, arguing that concerns over the measure’s impact on employers helped prevent enough Democratic lawmakers from supporting it.

“In addition to the extra energy costs it would impose on New Jersey households, this bill sets a chilling precedent that any job creator in our state could be retroactively targeted for billions of dollars in penalties, even if it complied with the law, regulations and its permits,” said Michele Siekerka, president of the NJBIA.

Although the legislation stalled before the Legislature recessed for the summer, neither supporters nor opponents appear to view its defeat as final. Both sides are expected to resume the fight when lawmakers return to Trenton later this year.

Editor’s note: an earlier version of this story attributed a quote to the wrong individual.