In states across the country, lawmakers face a daunting budget question: Who should pay to deal with the climate mess created by the fossil fuel industry — taxpayers or the industry itself?

In the Democratic stronghold of New York — which requires expensive infrastructure investments to fortify its cities and towns against flooding — environmental advocates say Democratic leaders are about to offer a troubling answer: New York taxpayers should foot the bill, not the party’s fossil fuel industry donors.

Last year, the Democratic-controlled New York State Senate passed the Climate Change Superfund Act, which would require major greenhouse gas emitters to pony up billions of dollars to help the state deal with the intensifying impacts of climate change.