AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE SUPERFUND ACT OF 2025

SB 326 establishes the Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act of 2025, requiring large fossil fuel corporations (defined as entities responsible for over one billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2024) to pay for climate change response work already funded by the state and municipalities. The bill mandates the Department of Environmental Management to calculate each company's share based on emissions data and issue payment demands for costs incurred since 2009, including projects like coastal protection, infrastructure upgrades, and emergency planning. Funds collected will be deposited into a dedicated account and used solely for future climate adaptation efforts. This directly affects major fossil fuel companies that contributed significantly to climate change, shifting costs from taxpayers to those most responsible.