Youth activists urge Phoenix council to back 'make polluters pay' Climate Resiliency Superfund

Several young residents urged the Phoenix City Council on Aug. 3 to endorse a state-level "make polluters pay" Climate Resiliency Superfund bill that would charge major historic polluters to fund community resilience.

Zach Twyman, who said he nearly lost his home in the 2024 wildfires, told the council: "Please, counselors, support the Climate Superfund Bill SB1541 so that it may pass the 2027 legislative 2nd." He described waking at 1 a.m. to evacuate and said many Oregon families were not as fortunate, citing the loss of more than 200 homes statewide during the 2024 fires.

Aza Oakes, 18, and a member of the World Climate Action Team, said the bill would shift costs away from taxpayers and local governments and toward the fossil‑fuel companies whose profits she said contributed to the pollution driving climate change. "The recent cost of damage should help pay for it," Oakes said.

Peyton Bugg framed the issue as a matter of justice and asked council members to sign an open letter supporting the senator's resilience proposal; the speaker provided the council with a copy of the bill and a QR code for signatures. Bugg said the measure would prevent ordinary Oregonians from bearing the costs of disaster response and rebuilding.

Why it matters: Council endorsement or local resolutions can influence momentum for state legislation and signal local priorities ahead of the 2027 legislative session. The speakers asked Phoenix to send a message that it supports funding for wildfire prevention, recovery and other climate resilience work.