Corte Madera — During open time at the Aug. 20 Climate Action Committee meeting, Melody Schumacher asked the committee to recommend that the town council support pending state legislation commonly called the California Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act or "Make Polluters Pay."

The nut graf: Schumacher described the bill as a fee-based approach to direct historic profits from major fossil-fuel companies toward state climate costs and cleanup, and she asked that the committee endorse a town resolution and advise council members to back the measure.

What was said
- Melody Schumacher, a resident who identified herself and her ties to local families, told the committee: “This bill is called the California Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act.” She summarized the bill as establishing fees on high-emitting fossil-fuel companies to fund climate damage and adaptation costs and said existing analyses show major revenue potential to help cover climate-driven state expenditures.
- Schumacher referenced federal and state cleanup laws as legal models and mentioned the California Environmental Protection Agency in describing how responsibility could be quantified.

Committee response and follow-up
- Committee members did not debate the merits of the legislation during open time. Committee chair and staff said they could not discuss or take action on items raised during open time but that they would circulate the materials Schumacher provided and, if requested, place the topic on a future committee or council agenda for discussion.
- Staff (Phoebe) said she would circulate the materials Schumacher had shared to committee members and to council members.

Why it matters: The bill, if adopted at the state level, would create a new funding mechanism for climate-related damages and adaptation; any local position would be advisory and would be a matter for the Corte Madera Town Council, not the Climate Action Committee.

Next steps: Staff to circulate Schumacher’s materials to committee and council; committee may consider placing the item on a future agenda for discussion and potential recommendation to council.