After experiencing Sandy and Helene, I know there are no climate safe havens anywhere

When Superstorm Sandy hit Long Island in 2012, my home in Oceanside flooded and my community was devastated. Years later, when my son was choosing where to build his life, he made what seemed like a prudent decision: He moved to Asheville, North Carolina, nestled safely in the Appalachian Mountains, where the chance of catastrophic flooding was just 1%. And for years, it worked. His wife opened a fitness studio and together they recently opened a second one, which were hubs for gathering and activity in their community.

But in September, Hurricane Helene shattered that illusion. Their main fitness studio was completely submerged in floodwater. With my daughter-in-law 39 weeks pregnant, their home without power and water, and their business destroyed, they were forced to flee to Long Island to have their baby — seeking refuge in the very place my son left to escape climate disasters.

The cruel irony isn't lost on me. As I cradle my beautiful grandson, I'm haunted by a terrifying reality: There are no more climate safe havens in America. The storms are getting stronger, the floods more frequent, and no community is immune from this crisis.

What's equally devastating is watching history repeat itself. After Sandy, New York taxpayers shouldered the enormous burden of rebuilding our communities. Now, with Helene's damages in the billions, we're again expecting ordinary people to foot the bill while fossil fuel companies, who knowingly caused this crisis, rake in record profits.

This isn't just unfair — it's unconscionable. For years, these companies have profited from products they knew would harm our climate, while leaving our communities to deal with the consequences. Now, our families are paying twice: once at the pump, and again through our tax dollars when storms destroy our neighborhoods.

That's why I call upon Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Climate Change Superfund Act. This legislation would require the top polluting fossil fuel companies to pay $3 billion annually for 25 years to fund vital resilience projects across New York. The money would help communities like mine prepare for and recover from climate disasters, ensuring that polluters — not taxpayers — bear the costs of their actions.

Some folks worry that making these companies pay will drive up gas prices. But gas prices are set by the global market, not local policies. Instead, the Superfund will ensure that some of these companies' enormous profits go toward protecting the communities they’ve hurt, instead of their shareholders.

The need is urgent. My family's story is just one thread in a larger tapestry of climate displacement, destruction and heartache. From the floods that devastated the Hudson Valley to the deadly winter storms in Buffalo, New Yorkers are already paying dearly for the climate crisis. Our state comptroller predicts these costs will only escalate, potentially reaching $10 billion annually by around 2050.

As a mother and grandmother, I'm done watching fossil fuel executives profit while our families suffer. I'm tired of seeing our tax dollars clean up their mess while they dodge all responsibility. Gov. Hochul has a historic opportunity to make New York the second state to hold these polluters accountable.

The choice is clear: Either we continue forcing working families to bear the crushing costs of climate adaptation, or we make the polluters pay their fair share. Gov. Hochul, my grandson's generation is counting on you to make the right choice. Sign the Climate Change Superfund Act and give New Yorkers the resources we need to build a more resilient future.

This guest essay reflects the views of Jill Weber, a longtime resident of Oceanside.