Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent decision to approve the Climate Change Superfund Act needs support. The Climate Superfund Act requires that companies responsible for the bulk of carbon emissions between the years 2000 and 2024 pay about $3 billion each year for 25 years to help the state defray the costs of climate change.

The rationale for the legislation, which enjoyed widespread support from hundreds of organizations, more than 100 local elected officials, countless community activists and bipartisan support in both houses of the state Legislature, was simple: Make the companies most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions pony up to offset the mushrooming state taxpayer costs of damages caused by a worsening climate and to cover the necessary investments to make infrastructure safer.

As the governor said in approving the bill, “With nearly every record rainfall, heatwave and coastal storm, New Yorkers are increasingly burdened with billions of dollars in health, safety and environmental consequences due to polluters that have historically harmed our environment.”

Simply put, the Climate Superfund reduces by $75 billion the future taxpayer costs from more........

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