At a closed-door White House meeting, oil executives urged Trump to push back against state-led climate penalties and lawsuits that seek to hold them accountable for decades of emissions. The industry's goal: legal immunity and protection from financial liability—similar to the shield gun manufacturers received from Congress years ago.

Trump, who received tens of millions in campaign donations from fossil-fuel interests, appeared receptive, sources say.

Superfund Laws and Climate Lawsuits: A Growing Threat

States like New York, Vermont, and California have passed climate superfund laws that force oil companies to pay for environmental damages caused by their emissions. New York alone plans to collect $3 billion annually for 25 years, with Exxon, BP, Shell, and others facing fines of $150 million each year.

Meanwhile, over a dozen U.S. states and cities have sued Big Oil for misleading the public about climate risks, citing public nuisance, fraud, and even racketeering. The Supreme Court's 2023 ruling allowed several cases to move forward under state law, making oil companies more vulnerable to billions in potential damages.

"We will continue to fight this overreach in court and explore all options," said Justin Prendergast of the American Petroleum Institute.

Trump's Role: How He Could Help Big Oil Fight Back

While Trump can't stop climate lawsuits directly, oil companies hope his administration will:
✅ Support their lawsuits against states like New York and Vermont
✅ Pressure the Justice Department to side with them in court
✅ Push Congress to pass legal protections, shielding them from future lawsuits

With Republican majorities in Congress still uncertain, passing such protections won't be easy. But fossil-fuel executives see Trump's presidency as their best chance to avoid the fate of Big Tobacco, which was forced to pay over $200 billion in lawsuits for hiding health risks.

The Battle Ahead

Oil companies say legal uncertainty is making business harder in the U.S., while environmental advocates argue that polluters should pay for the damage they've caused.

As lawsuits move forward and Trump considers his next move, the fight over who bears the cost of climate change is set to become a defining battle of the 2024 election and beyond.

Take Action : https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-congress-not-to-let-polluters-off-the-hook-for-climate-damage