Utah Shields Fossil Fuel Companies, Critics Warn of Profits Over Public Health

In a move that has drawn widespread criticism, the state of Utah has passed new legislation that makes it nearly impossible for residents to hold fossil fuel companies legally accountable for climate damages. This action has been described by advocacy groups as a clear surrender to special interests, with polluters' profits being prioritized over the health and well-being of Americans.

The new state law comes as part of a broader push from big oil and its political allies, including groups tied to the conservative strategist Leonard Leo, to secure legal immunity in red states and at the federal level. Their goal is to win state and federal legal immunity similar to the liability waiver granted to the firearms industry in 2005.