Environmental Preservation - As introduced, enacts the "Climate Resiliency Fund Act." - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 5; Title 9; Title 60; Title 67 and Title 68.

HB 716, the "Climate Resiliency Fund Act," would create a state fund financed by fossil fuel businesses (such as coal, oil, and gas extractors/refiners) operating in Tennessee between 1995 and 2025. The fund would require these entities to pay "cost recovery" fees based on their historical greenhouse gas emissions, with proceeds directed toward climate adaptation projects. Key projects include flood protections, infrastructure upgrades (roads, bridges, sewage systems), nature-based solutions, and healthcare programs addressing climate-driven health risks like heat waves. The bill mandates that at least 50% of funds support "environmental justice focus populations," defined as communities with high poverty rates, minority populations, or limited English proficiency. This is a policy change establishing a new funding mechanism for climate resilience, not a procedural measure.