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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Tom Perkins

Big oil pushed to kill bill that would have made them pay for wildfire disasters

a firefighter stands near a blaze
A firefighter monitors the spread of the Auto Fire in Oxnard, northwest of Los Angeles, California, on 13 January 2025. Photograph: Étienne Laurent/AFP/Getty Images

In the year preceding the devastating Los Angeles county wildfires, big oil fiercely lobbied to kill a “polluter pay” bill that moved through the California senate and would have forced major fossil fuel companies to help cover the costs of climate disasters.

Fossil-fuel industry lobbying in California spiked to record levels during the 2023-24 legislative session, and the polluter pay bill was among the most targeted pieces of legislation, a Guardian review of state lobby filings found.

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