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Committee votes 4–1 to send letter supporting state "climate super fund" bill
Summary
The committee approved a staff‑draft letter of support for a pending state bill to create a climate 'super fund' to require fossil‑fuel companies to pay compensatory fees for climate damages; members discussed FEMA interactions and resilience funding before the roll‑call vote passed 4–1.
Planning staff asked the committee to approve a letter of support for a pending state bill that would establish a climate “super fund” — a mechanism similar to the federal Superfund that would require oil and gas companies to pay fees to address climate damages and fund resilience projects.
Staff said communities such as this city could use recouped funds to bolster infrastructure — for example, stormwater, sewer and emergency response systems — and to reduce long‑term costs borne by property taxpayers. Committee members asked how the fund would interact with existing FEMA post‑disaster funding and whether FEMA would still be available for repairs; staff replied that FEMA is primarily for post‑disaster response and that the proposed fund would focus on increasing community resilience and preparedness.
Committee discussion included concerns about the structure of the bill and unanswered questions on program design. After discussion, the committee took a roll‑call vote on forwarding a letter of support to the state. The roll call recorded four affirmative votes and one negative vote; the motion carried 4–1.
The committee directed staff to draft the letter and send it to state policymakers.
