Make Polluters Pay Campaign responds to Senate Environment and Natural Resources Study Order on S.588

Concerning State House Process Denies Commonwealth Communities Crucial Funding

Tuesday, November 28, 2025

Last week, while climate activists united from across the state to fight House Energy Chair Cusack’s dirty, expensive energy bill, Senate Environment Chair Rausch polled her members on sending the Climate Superfund Bill to study. This vote was launched the night before advocates and legal experts were set to meet with committee staff to address outstanding questions. Chair Rausch and Senator Fernandes (a cosponsor of S.588) voted to send the bill to study; Senator Rush voted to save the bill; and Senators Moore (a cosponsor of S.588) and Tarr “reserved their right” or abstained. The campaign is grateful to Senator Rush for voting no, as well as Senators Moore and Tarr for reserving their right. This disappointing decision decreases our chances of passing a climate superfund this session but does not kill them entirely. Our campaign is committed to regrouping and strategizing in the face of this setback.

The Climate Superfund Bill (H.1014/S.588) was introduced by Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Rep. Steve Owens, and Rep. Jack Lewis. It requires the biggest carbon emitters to contribute to a Superfund to pay for climate-related damages in Massachusetts. Fossil fuel companies have knowingly endangered our world for decades, putting our lives and livelihoods at risk. They should be responsible for the costs, not taxpayers. The Climate Adaptation Superfund to provide funding for climate adaptation projects across the commonwealth, directly benefiting cities and towns.

• The bill will generate billions of dollars over 25 years from the profits of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters.
• The Superfund will support climate change adaptation projects statewide, with 40% of the funding directly benefiting environmental justice communities.
• The bill mandates that large projects supported by the superfund make use of apprenticeship programs, abide by prevailing wage requirements, and treat workers according to fair labor standards.
• Both Vermont and New York successfully passed Climate Superfund bills in 2024, setting a powerful precedent for Massachusetts to join.

The MA Climate Superfund campaign has passed over 10 municipal resolutions in support of the highly popular bill, which is supported by 76% of voters and bipartisan majorities. The campaign has held webinars, rallies, a petition delivery, and an extremely well received hearing that brought in subject matter experts on issues of economics, legality, job creation, resiliency, public health, and environmental justice.

Some of the over 30 Make Polluters Pay coalition members spoke out about the decision and the concerning process around it:

“We need leaders who are ready to fight the assault on our climate and our communities,” Rachael Boyce, Climate Justice and Resilience Manager for the Better Future Project and Co-lead on the Make Polluters Pay campaign. “Sending the Climate Superfund to study is a failure of leadership by legislators who are not meeting this urgent moment.”

"With the Trump administration retrenching from climate commitments and sabotaging work on environmental justice and climate resilience, state leadership is more important than ever.” said Jonathan Cohn, Policy Director of Progressive Mass. “That's why the Climate Superfund bill is so important: it would mean cleaner air, healthier communities, and more good-paying jobs for the Commonwealth. We are disappointed to see the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources fail to rise to the moment. Now is not the time for inaction." 

"In parts of Roxbury, where our communities suffer from high rates of air pollution, heat islands and other climate impacts, life expectancy is as low as 68 years. Sending the Climate Superfund bill to study through a hurried backroom motion, while refusing to meet with legal experts, is a political game with life and death consequences.” said Tristan Thomas, Director of Policy at Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE). “Our communities, who suffer daily from environmental injustice, deserve a real debate and bold action, not cowardice."

"Fossil fuel driven climate change and air pollution are already harming our health and the health of our children,” says CCB member Dr. Caren Solomon. "These harms are going to increase, but how severely will depend on our actions today. Especially given the current presidential administration's irresponsible policy changes on climate change, we will need the revenue from a Climate Superfund to fund essential projects to protect our communities from heat emergencies, intense storms, flooding, and the devastating health consequences of these extreme weather events."

CCB member Dr. Jim Recht added: "We are grateful to Senator Rush for voting no against this attempt to kill the bill, and to Senators Moore and Tarr for Reserving their Right. It is rare for committee members to not unanimously support a Chair’s motion, and shows how out-of-step Chair Rausch is with her committee - and with the Commonwealth."

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