Creates the Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act of 2026.

# Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act of 2026 — Plain-English Summary

This bill would require large fossil fuel companies that have been significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions to help pay for the costs Rhode Island faces from climate change. Specifically, it targets companies that were responsible for producing or refining large quantities of fossil fuels over roughly the past few decades. The state would calculate each company's share of responsibility based on how much their products contributed to overall greenhouse gas emissions, and then send them a bill for a portion of the state's climate-related costs.

The money collected would go into a dedicated "Climate Superfund" fund managed by the state. These funds would be used to pay for things like infrastructure repairs and upgrades needed because of climate impacts (such as flooding, extreme heat, and sea-level rise), climate adaptation projects to protect communities, and other costs the state has incurred or expects to incur as a result of climate change. The concept is modeled after the federal Superfund program, which makes polluters pay for cleaning up toxic waste sites — but applied here to climate change damages instead.

The bill would primarily affect major fossil fuel companies, including both domestic and international firms, that meet certain thresholds of historical emissions. It would also affect Rhode Island residents and communities, who would potentially benefit from funded projects to address climate-related damage to roads, bridges, coastal areas, public health infrastructure, and other needs. State agencies would be tasked with administering the program, determining each company's fair share, and distributing the funds.

As of its most recent legislative action, the bill has been referred to the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee, where it was recommended to be held for further study, meaning lawmakers want to examine the proposal more closely before deciding whether to advance it.