Environmental groups Sierra Club and Make Polluters Pay have launched a series of advertisements targeting Rep. Jeff Hurd in Colorado's 3rd congressional district. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the recently introduced “Stop the Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026,” a congressional Republican effort to grant fossil fuel corporations immunity from lawsuits related to climate damages.
According to the groups, the proposed legislation would make it illegal for states and municipalities to pursue climate-related claims against oil and gas companies. This marks a sharp escalation in the long-running legal battle over who bears responsibility for climate change impacts, from wildfires to extreme weather.
Supporters of the bill argue it is necessary to prevent a wave of costly litigation that could destabilize the energy industry and raise prices for consumers. They frame climate lawsuits as a "shakedown" by activist attorneys general seeking to bypass Congress.
Opponents counter that the legislation would strip communities of their right to seek damages from polluters and undermine decades of environmental law. The ad campaign specifically targets a swing district where energy policy remains a hot-button issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The bill has not yet received a vote but has drawn sharp partisan lines, with Democrats calling it a giveaway to Big Oil at taxpayers' expense. Its fate may hinge on narrow majorities in the House.