Big Oil want total legal immunity and we can’t let them have it.
Oil and gas lobbyists are working to make sure the fossil fuel industry never has to answer for the climate crisis they’ve helped create. They want total legal immunity, which means a federal shield that would protect fossil fuel companies from any laws or lawsuits attempting to hold them accountable for their role in fueling climate disasters.
The American Petroleum Institute – the largest oil and gas trade lobbying group in the country – has declared that one of its top legislative priorities for 2026 is to kill “abusive” climate lawsuits Sixteen Republican attorneys general have already laid out a roadmap for how the Trump administration could build a “liability shield” for fossil fuel companies, modeled on the controversial 2005 law that protected gun manufacturers from lawsuits.
State-level immunity bills have already been introduced in Utah and Oklahoma. And this isn't just about Big Oil. The same push for blanket corporate immunity is also being sought for AI companies, private prisons, and pesticide manufacturers. Big Oil is just the first in a much larger effort to shield powerful corporate interests from any accountability for the harm they cause.
What this means for Oregon
Multnomah County is currently suing ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, and other major oil companies for knowingly deceiving the public about climate change for decades while fueling the disasters that followed. The case centers on the deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest head dome, which killed 69 county residents. Scientists have stated that event was virtually impossible without human-caused climate change. They county is seeking over $51.5 billion in damages to recover from and prepare for climate harm, and the case is actively advancing in state court.
Oregon lawmakers have also introduced the Climate Resilience Superfund, landmark legislation that would require fossil fuel polluters to finally pay their fair share for the climate damage Oregonians are already experiencing.
Federal immunity for Big Oil would stop both of these accountability efforts in their tracks.
Communities across the country are already paying the price in terms emergency response costs, destroyed infrastructure, and lives upended. If Congress gives the fossil fuel industry a legal shield, the costs of climate change get shifted permanently on to us – taxpayers. We would be left footing the bill for disasters that Big Oil knowingly helped create while profiting off decades of deception.
What you can do right now
We must demand that our elected leaders protect our right to hold polluters accountable. Here’s how you can help us fight back, right now:
Contact Oregon’s members of Congress → Urge them to publicly oppose any federal legislation granting immunity to fossil fuel companies.
Sign on as an organization or elected official → Add your name or organization to the letter to Oregon’s Congressional members. Not an Oregonian? Not a problem! Letter options are available for every state.
Sign the national petition → Tell Congress to oppose giving Big Oil a “get-out-of-jail-free” card.
No industry should be above the law. When corporations knowingly cause harm, communities must have the ability to seek accountability.
