MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) 鈥� Vermont has become the first state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies pay a share of the damage caused by climate change after the state suffered and damage from other extreme weather.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott allowed the bill to become law without his signature late Thursday.
He said in his message to lawmakers that he is 鈥渄eeply concerned about both short- and long-term costs and outcomes鈥� and if the state fails in this legal challenge 鈥渋t will set precedent and hamper other states鈥� ability to recover damages.鈥�
Maryland, Massachusetts and New York are considering similar measures.
Under the legislation, the Vermont state treasurer, in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, would provide a report by Jan. 15, 2026, on the total cost to Vermonters and the state from the emission of greenhouse gases from Jan. 1, 1995, to Dec. 31, 2024.
The assessment would look at the affects on public health, natural resources, agriculture, economic development, housing and other areas.
It鈥檚 a polluter-pays model affecting companies engaged in the trade or business of extracting fossil fuel or refining crude oil attributable to more than 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions during the time period.
The funds could be used by the state for such things as upgrading stormwater drainage systems; upgrading roads, bridges and railroads; relocating, elevating or retrofitting sewage treatment plants and making energy efficient weatherization upgrades to public and private buildings.
The Associated Press
