How Big Oil Keeps Profiting at the Expense of American Taxpayers (and What to Do)

You’re paying for fossil fuels – and for the costs of a fossil-fueled climate crisis.

Not just at the gas pump. Not just in your electric bill. But through your taxes, your insurance premiums, and the rising cost of… well, everything.

And when wildfires rip through communities. When floods wipe out homes. When hurricanes leave billions in damage. It’s taxpayer dollars covering the costs. Again and again.

Meanwhile? Fossil fuel companies who fueled this climate crisis post record-breaking profits, year after year. And—here’s the kicker—they’re still receiving billions in government subsidies annually, funded by American taxpayers.

Yes, really.

The problem: we’re paying twice

This climate crisis didn’t just happen. It’s the result of deliberate choices.

And right now, the system has no accountability.

Big Oil companies helped drive the climate crisis. They knew the risks and not only chose to forge ahead, they also chose to purposely deceive the public about the risks for decades. They started seeing the deadly effects of their pollution – effects they themselves predicted – and they kept going anyway.

And today, the public is now holding the bill. And while the bills continue to rack up, Big Oil wants to take no responsibility.

Climate crisis related costs look like:

• More frequent and intense record-breaking disaster recovery costs for states.
• Rising home insurance premiums (or losing coverage entirely).
• Expensive infrastructure upgrades to keep communities safe.
• Increasing utility bills and health costs resulting from pollution and extreme heat.

State budgets are stretched thin. Local governments are scrambling. And everyday people are paying more—whether they realize it at the time or not.

At the same time, fossil fuel companies are:

• Making billions in annual profits.
• Receiving taxpayer-funded subsidies.
• Lobbying against climate action.

If this feels a little absurd and unfair…that’s because it is.

The solution: Make Polluters Pay

There’s a growing movement to hold polluters responsible.

It’s called Make Polluters Pay—and it’s exactly what it sounds like.

For decades, Big Oil chose profit over people and the planet. The crisis they long understood—and foresaw could happen—is now here, with deadly and costly consequences. “Make Polluters Pay” policies hold Big Oil accountable. Instead of sticking taxpayers with the bill, these policies would ensure fossil fuel companies cover their fair share of costs.

Simple idea. Big impact.

Here’s what that can look like in practice:

1. Climate Superfunds
US states charge major polluters for the damage tied to their emissions. That money goes into a fund to pay for things like flood protection, wildfire prevention, and infrastructure upgrades.

2. Climate Insurance Cost Recovery
As climate disasters drive insurance prices through the roof, US states can recover those costs from fossil fuel companies—not homeowners.

3. Ending Polluter Handouts
Stop giving tax breaks and subsidies to highly profitable fossil fuel companies. Redirect that money toward public needs instead.

No new taxes required. Just a rebalancing of who pays.

Why this is gaining momentum (fast)

This isn’t some fringe idea.

It’s popular. Like, really popular.

About 74% of voters support requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of climate damages – including the majority of folks from both sides of the aisle.

Why? Because it hits on something pretty universal:

• Fairness.
• Responsibility.
• Enable better disaster preparedness.
• Ease the financial burden on everyday people.

It also gives policymakers something they desperately need:
A way to fund the real needs of residents without raising taxes.

US states like Vermont and New York are already leading the way with climate superfund laws. More are lining up behind them.

And yes—the fossil fuel industry is pushing back hard. That’s usually a sign something real is happening. They're pushing their friends in state legislatures (and even Congress!) to pass laws that would proactively grant these companies legal immunity from current and future efforts to hold them accountable. These are called “liability waivers” and unfortunately there’s momentum for this type of legislation too.

But no one is above the law, and the public has a right to hold corporations accountable for the costs they have inflicted on our communities.

What you can do (yes, you specifically)

A policy like Make Polluters Pay? It doesn’t just happen. It moves when people push it.

And individual advocates actually matter more than you’d think.

Here’s how to plug in: drop into a US Hour of Action anytime. Zero expertise needed. Show up alongside fellow busy people – we’re all juggling work, school, pets, kids, and happy hours too! – and move the needle on meaningful work. We meet virtually every Monday evening for a nationwide coworking event on Zoom and folks gather on the back patios of breweries and coffee shops in cities across the US (find an Hour of Action Team near you!).

During US Hours of Action in April, May, and June, we’ll be focused on Make Polluter Pay progress.

That looks like:

1. Put Make Polluters Pay on our lawmakers’ radar – Most state legislators aren’t deep in the weeds on this yet. We’ll send messages with more info and express our support, personalized to resonate with their unique agenda and values. It can go a long way.

2. Share the idea of holding corporations responsible (it spreads fast) – This is one of those policies that clicks quickly. We’ll talk about it with friends. Post about it. Normalize it.

3. Follow up (polite persistence wins) – Real change often starts with: “Just bumping this to the top of your inbox 😊”.

4. Push for concrete steps – The big wins we’re always aiming for in the long-term:

• Reps issuing a statement of support.
• Connecting expert partners with US legislators.
• Introducing a bill.
• Co-sponsoring a bill.
• Voting yes on a bill.

If polluters caused damages, they should pay for it—it’s that simple. But even simple ideas take time to turn from idea → policy → law → impact when the impact is transformative. Pushing for Make Polluters Pay policies is so worth our time.

We’ve been picking up the tab for long enough. Time to send the bill to the wealthy corporations who are responsible for the mess.

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Get in on the action!

Feeling fired up? If this made you think, share it with your network or send it to one person who’d care—then drop into an Hour of Action ( kickoff event is April 20 )!