PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: December 15, 2020

For More Information Contact:
Louis Rosado Burch, CT Program Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment
[email protected], (m) 475.434.1606

Samantha Dynowski, State Director, Sierra Club CT Chapter
[email protected], (m) 860.916.3639

Emily Alexander, Climate Policy Advocate,Connecticut League of Conservation Voters
[email protected], (m) 860-617-8120

Environmental Groups Ask Lamont and CGA for a Holiday Gift: Say “NO” to Killingly

CT Deserves Clean Air & Climate Change Action for the Holidays

Killingly, CT—Environmental advocates, elected officials and community leaders joined together for a virtual press event today to highlight public opposition to NTE Partners’ proposed fracked gas plant in Killingly, and to call for a moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure projects in Connecticut. Together, grassroots activists have generated over 650 hand-written letters to Governor Lamont, in addition to 2,550 emails to the Governor and CT Elected Officials in opposition to the proposed fossil fuel power plant. The organizers closed out the zoom press conference with a holiday gift for Gov. Lamont; more than 5,925 petition signatures signed by CT residents in support of ending investments into fossil fuel infrastructure and investing instead into renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In their comments, speakers emphasized that new gas pipelines and power plants represent a glaring and unacceptable inconsistency with Connecticut’s clean energy goals, climate change policy and efforts to address dangerous air quality impacts in our cities:

“Connecticut continues to build 20th century technology in the 21st century,” said Louis Rosado Burch, CT Program Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “We’ve adopted ambitious clean energy goals, established the Governor’s Council on Climate Change, and made commitments to transition away from fossil fuels. These important steps forward will be severely undermined by building new fossil fuel power plants. We need Governor Lamont and the CT General Assembly to move out of the 20th Century and into the 21st Century.  That means rejecting Killingly and prioritizing energy projects that help combat climate change. It’s time to say “NO” to Killingly once and for all, and to stop investing in dirty gas infrastructure projects.”

“In addition to being completely out of sync with the state’s bold carbon reduction goals  and harming public health, the proposed fracked gas power plant in Killingly will send treated wastewater containing toxic chemicals, pollutants and heavy metals into the Quinebaug River,” said Anne Hulick, Connecticut Director of Clean Water Action. “There is simply no good that can come from building this plant and we urge the Governor and DEEP to do all they can to stop it.”

“Governor Lamont and the CT General Assembly have a unique  window of opportunity to alter the course of our energy future.  Our state recognized the need to move away from fossil fuels twenty years ago when it acted to shut down the infamous ‘Sooty Six’ coal-fired power plants,” said Lori Brown, Executive Director of the CT League of Conservation Voters. “Today, we have a situation where a new polluting power plant has not yet been built and our elected officials must take meaningful action through a moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure to prevent this future disaster.”

“We’re calling on Governor Lamont to keep his promise and protect the health, safety, and economic well-being of the residents of the state of Connecticut and of our climate. Over the last two years, DEEP and the Governor have received thousands of phone calls, emails and letters from residents opposing the Killingly power plant. This administration has promised a clean energy future, but continues to allow dirty, dangerous fracked gas power,” Ann Gadwah, Sierra Club Connecticut Chapter chairperson said. “Even now as his own Council on Climate Change provides suggestions for climate action in the state, they’ve failed to recommend action on this high-profile and divisive gas proposal.These two directions are incompatible. We’re asking our elected official, sworn to protect us, to listen to our call to stop this power plant once and for all.”

“For Connecticut’s young people, the choice is stark. Going ahead with a new gas-fired plant now would ensure that our toxic dependency on fossil fuels, and the resulting damage to our community’s health and environment, would be extended for many years,” said Eluned Li, organizer with Sunrise New Haven. “This benefits no one but the oil and gas industry, authorizing them to continue to profit from activities which endanger our health and irreversibly degrade our environment. Our elected officials have the choice, now, to put a stop to the Killingly plant and serve as a strong step in realizing a Green New Deal, and a future for all of us. We ask them to make the responsible choice, for us and for their own children.”

“Climate science states that our society needs to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and Gov. Lamont has promised to transition Connecticut away from the fossil fuels causing the Climate Emergency,” said 350 CT Steering Committee Member Ben Martin. “It is past time for the governor to back up his words with action by rejecting the polluting NTE fracked gas plant in Killingly, preventing new sources of emissions, and retiring current polluting plants.”

“This choice is one between the peoples’ best interests and further support of the fossil fuel industry,” said Dr. Todd Douglas, postdoctoral associate in the dept. of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University. “A brand new fracked gas plant will harm more of Connecticut’s greenfield land and useable water than we can afford, compromising the health of every resident of Killingly and surrounding areas. We have safe, clean renewable energy solutions with far greater energy output available cheaply already. There is no reason to build a plant that could pump out up to 90,000 gallons of toxic wastewater every single day. It’s time to do the responsible thing. We have the ability to protect public health, preserve our future, and lead the nation in clean energy solutions. Governor Lamont, make the right call.”

The Governor’s Council on Climate Change (GC3) mitigation group draft report says Killingly “…does not align with Connecticut’s decarbonization policy objectives; and its long asset life will make it challenging to meet the state’s emissions reduction goals.”

Comments submitted by the Sierra Club on June 30, October 7 and November 18, detail impacts the proposed pipeline for the plant would have on local water quality and habitats of brook trout and endangered species, like the Northern long-eared owl and American bittern. The comments also note that the proposed pipeline will impact DEEP’s own plans to restore the Wyndham marsh to create habitat for endangered species.

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Climate Shoe Strike  Aug 29

Aug 29th – Climate Shoe Strike
When we can’t gather for our safety, we can still show our support for the right climate and justice policies.

Put people and the environment first.
-Prioritize measures that quickly create more jobs in sustainable future sectors. Introduce safety nets and measures to help people retrain and quickly get into work in clean industries that do not emit CO2.

Leave the fossil economy.( Stop NTE Fracked Gas, Gas Pipelines)
-Remove fossil subsidies and tax relief for fossil energy. Discontinue all public funding of – or investment in – fossil activities. Defund and outlaw development of new fossil fuel infrastructure. Retire all polluting facilities ASAP.

Declare a climate emergency.
-Once declared by political leaders, hold them accountable!

Some video is available at thestruggle.org : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw-hw1uaxaM    (Starts at 24 minutes)

Jan 9 – No War with Iran  Rallies – Statewide
Jan 9 – Climate Education Presentation   West Haven
Jan 15 – LCV Environmental Summit  –  Hartford
Jan 19  – 350 CT Meeting: Climate Resistance Presentation
Jan 25 – Wild & Scenic Film Festival  – Bridgeport   – Sierra Club 
Jan 29 – Climate Education presentation    East Haven
Feb 1 – Climate Education presentation    Falls Village
Feb 4 – Transit Equity Day
Feb 4 – IREJN Green Forum on State Legislation Hartford 
Feb 7 – UCONN Fridays for the Future Climate Strike
Feb 23 – IREJN Green Forum on State Legislation Mystic 
Mar 2 – IREJN Green Forum Environmental Racism   Hamden
Apr 25 – Rock 2 Rock Earth Day Bike Ride – New Haven

Climate Action is Peace Action
Peace Action is Climate Action

While most of us know that the Climate Emergency impacts every part of our society and mitigating climate change will require changing all that we know, war  and the climate crisis are uniquely intertwined.  The machines of war use an obscene amount of fossil fuels which drive the climate crisis and extreme unpredictable weather events cause chaos that can lead to conflict.  Many wars are predicated on the desire to secure the resources that fuel  climate chaos.  The victims of the climate devastation are then forced by their governments to risk and lose their lives fighting other people suffering under the same devastation.  And all those resources , human and monetary, spent to wage unnecessary war are unavailable to solve the real problem, the suffering ecosystem that is breaking down before our eyes.   Imagine if instead of sending bombs to the middle east, the United States was sending assistance to Australia to fight the climate change fueled bush fires ;
or to Jakarta to recover from the floods and mudslides ;
or perhaps we could be equipping our own nation to end our dependence on fossil fuels.
In the fight for climate justice we have no space or time for new wars, current wars or old wars.

Actions to Prevent War and End Current Conflicts

• Jan 9th : Find a No War with Iran Rally
• Jan 11th : ANSWER Coalition Teach In
• Jan 25th : Global Day of Protest : No War On Iran

TO CHANGE EVERYTHING, WE NEED EVERYONE
Specifically , 350 CT needs everyone.
There is a dire need for more action on climate change and to be able to do all that is necessary, we need volunteers to take care of the day to day items that will make us successful.
A few specific areas of need :
Finance Committee
If you have experience with budgeting and reporting on finance matters we could really use your help.  Even if you have only balanced your personal accounts, we can help train you if you are interested in helping out.
Online Communication Committee
Have you ever sent an email? Updated a blog?  Posted on Facebook?  We need your experience to keep our online presence engaging and up to date.
Art Working Group
Do you like making art?  Music?  Have experience creating flyers, signs or graphics?   We need you help.

If you can help in any of these areas, please let us know at [email protected].  Volunteers who handle these tasks are the backbone of our organization and support everything that we do.  Thanks.

Statement of Governor’s Executive Order:

Governor Ned Lamont’s public declaration of Executive Order 3 (EO3) may seem like positive action in the time of a climate emergency when the federal administration has abandoned any pretense to acknowledge or act on largest threat to our society’s survival. However , we must reckon Lamont’s pledge against the true scope of the damage climate breakdown will do to the people, infrastructure and stability of our state, our nation and our internationally connected world. The damage currently being done to our natural systems by greenhouse gas emissions must be stopped as quickly and responsibly as possible, and the EO3 does not live up to that standard.

The first issue with the executive order is that by it’s own nature it is a flawed mechanism for forcing structural change. While it is laudable for the current governor to plant his flag on the side of climate action , an executive order is realistically only in effect as long as that governor is in office. When they leave office, the next one can abandon or weaken the efforts of this document almost immediately. Lasting change needs to be enacted in a way that future administrations cannot easily disrupt or ignore, such as government policies passed through the legislature. EO3 also puts the monitoring and reporting control in the hands of executive branch departments without input from the communities that will have to implement and live with these policies. And considering the limitations of this sort of document, why are the goals so insufficient to meeting the crisis outlined in the “where as…” clauses? The actions outlined in this document don’t match the recommendations of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) nor do they accomplish the goals laid out in the Paris accords which CT has pledged to uphold. In order to match the urgency of these goals we need a moratorium , or better yet a ban, on all new fossil fuel infrastructure and a concrete plan to retire all the current polluting facilities in our state. We also need a plan to eliminate all buildings and transportation emissions while transitioning the people employed in those industries to new green jobs that will build and maintain the clean renewable infrastructure needed to live sustainably. When creating policy statements for an administration that claims to be committed to climate action, why not be bold, ambitious and recognize the truth of the crisis we are facing?

Another problem is in the scope and responsibilities that are outlined for the Governor’s Council on Climate Change (GC3), an advisory organization made up of mostly government department heads , that has delayed far past the original target date for producing a plan to lower emission in CT. EO3 tasks them with “Oversight” of climate mitigation and adaptation but provides no mechanism of enforcement for the council. Without a way to hold the government responsible for failures to meet the emission reduction goals outlined, there is a high risk of any reports becoming something that is filed away with no corrective action taken. Also, given the councils history of completing required documents far past required deadline, it is hard to imagine they will be able to correct counterproductive policy soon enough. While efforts to include voices from environmental justice communities are positive, unless they are replacing current members of the GC3 they cannot be effective with the bulk of the council from the governors administration. This is especially true with the stipulation that the governor can terminate their membership at any time.

Finally, the EO3 had been stated as setting a goal of “100% zero carbon target for the electric sector by 2040”. This would be an improvement on current law if it were true, as the current goal is “80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050”, but this would not be sufficient to mitigate the climate chaos we are experiencing from extreme storms , persistent droughts and sea level rise. A overwhelming majority of the world’s scientist say we must eliminate the damage we are doing by 2030 and Gov. Lamont’s goal doesn’t even address the emissions from buildings, industry , transportation or agriculture. Additionally , a close reading of the text finds that this goal is not specified outright but says that the GC3 and Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection ( DEEP) should “analyze pathway and recommend strategies” that would achieve this goal. Now is not the time for more analysis, oversight or recommendations. Now is the time for bold and concrete action.

Overall, this executive order can be summarized as too little, too late and too light on detail. If the Gov. Lamont and his administration wanted to take bold action here are a few things they could do right now:
1. Declare a Climate Emergency and direct every state agency to address the crisis.

2. Publicly state that all fossil fuel infrastructure will be rejected , including the NTE Energy Center in Killingly and all fracked gas pipeline expansion
3. Direct all government buildings to create a plan to transition Net Zero energy use or create more renewable energy than they need.
4. Make mass transit options priority one for the Dept. of Transportation.
5.  Pressure the legislature to pass these requirements into law
…. and much more.
The question that we must ask ourselves and that Gov. Lamont should be governing by is not “Are we doing better than before?” but “Are we doing everything we can to ensure our survival?” When we look at Executive Order 3, the answer to that question is unequivocally “NO”.

350CT Monthly Meeting (Dec 9th in New Haven) will be discussing the Green New Deal and other legislative proposals to curb the causes of climate change.
If you would like more info here are some resources:

Background:
The AOC plan for a Green New Deal (GND) US House Select Committee per Alexandria Ocasio Cortez:
https://ocasio2018.com/green-new-deal

The Green New Deal plan doc from Data for Progress:
https://www.dataforprogress.org/green-new-deal/#introduction

GND Explainer from Carbon Brief :
https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-why-some-us-democrats-want-a-green-new-deal-to-tackle-climate-change

Dec 3, 2018 Bernie Sanders Town Hall on the GND
YouTube Video of the 12-3-18 GND Town Hall “Solving the Climate Crisis”
https://youtu.be/-wCcQE0eLbM

Article on the GND Town Hall
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/03/corporate-media-ignores-climate-crisis-sanders-town-hall-deliver-discussion-bold

History of the Green New Deal
GND Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_New_Deal
GND precursor from the 2003 Apollo Alliance
https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Apollo_Alliance

The Democratic Party Wants to Make Climate Policy Exciting :
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/12/ocasio-cortez-green-new-deal-winning-climate-strategy/576514/

November 26, 2018

Governor-Elect Ned Lamont
State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106

All State Legislators
Legislative Office Building
300 Capital Ave
Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Governor-Elect and Legislators:

As a resident of the State of Connecticut and a concerned citizen, I urge you to follow through on your statement regarding climate change: that it is “an urgent threat that must be tackled immediately.” I couldn’t agree more. We have precious few years to address this issue and we have certainly seen the enormous threats that loom: drought, wildfires, flooding, stronger hurricanes, sea level rise, and more. Some key points:

• The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says carbon emissions must fall by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 – a mere 12 years. The term of your governorship will likely encompass most of this time.
• The report notes: “limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require ‘rapid and far-reaching’ transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities.” In other words, an emergency mobilization.
• The earth has already warmed by 1.8° Fahrenheit (1° Celsius).
• The report is based on old data. The nature of science is that the reports go through rigorous evaluation and peer review before they are published. Hence, the data contained in them is already somewhat out of date by publication. Even now there are concerns about accelerating feedback loops, such as methane leaks from the thawing permafrost in the arctic. These tipping points threaten to lock in even more global warming, possibly pushing the earth past our ability to survive on it.
• The Paris Climate Accord, while a good step, did not actually set up the global community to limit warming to 2° Celsius. It was assumed that more aggressive steps would be taken later. However, even with the watered down obligations from the Paris accord, these obligations are not currently being met.

The data is bleak. And as the IPCC report indicates, we have the ability to make substantial changes in business-as-usual that will have real, significant impacts on these trends. One very bright light in this effort is Mark Jacobson, a professor at Stanford University in California. He and his team have spent years modeling ways for each state and country to move to 100% clean, renewable energy. His Solutions Project is highly recommended reading (thesolutionsproject.org). As he noted in a recent talk in Hartford, we must move to 100% electricity-based energy systems powered primarily by solar and wind. That means: all vehicles, all mass transit, all industrial and residential heating, and all industrial and residential cooling must be powered by renewable electricity. A massive undertaking, yes, and we have the technology right now to make this happen. All we need is the political will.

The current political situation provides the best chance we have to lead in implementing policies to transition us away from fossil fuels and to an ecologically sustainable and just society. The Democratic Party has campaigned on addressing climate change and now that they have majorities in CT and all our neighboring states it is time to back the talk with action.
A “Green New Deal” to create clean energy jobs, improve the health of CT residents, and reduce our cost of living would include (but not be limited to):

• Restoring electric rate equality (net metering) harmed by 2018 legislation in CT;
• Retiring polluting power plants like Millstone Nuclear Power Station & Bridgeport Harbor Station (Gas & Coal);
• Enacting a prohibition on gas infrastructure development;
• Restoring rate payer funds designated for energy efficiency and renewable energy;
• Requiring government buildings to be powered by renewable energy such as solar, wind or geothermal;
• Requiring all new construction in CT to incorporate renewable energy;
• Expanding and electrifying mass transit systems to serve the most people and eliminate emissions;
• Expanding the renewable portfolio standard to 100% by 2030 or earlier.

I cannot think of a more meaningful and significant legacy for you to leave to the state of Connecticut than to say you’ve thoroughly addressed this existential threat. It affects every current and future citizen of Connecticut, and truly, the world. Please show us that you’ve been serious about addressing this issue. Addressing it can bring thousands of jobs to the state, retain our younger generation, improve health outcomes, address environmental racism, and reduce energy costs for all citizens. It can be positioned as transformational, as it certainly is. Please move forward on this quickly. Our lives literally depend on it.

With hope,

Susan C. Miller, on behalf of:

References:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: www.ipcc.ch
Mark Jacobson: www.thesolutionsproject.org
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal: www.ocasio2018.com/gnd
Synapse Energy reports: www.synapse-energy.com/sites/default/files/Increasing-the-Connecticut-Renewable-Portfolio-Standard-17-070_0.pdf
Robert Howarth, Cornell University: www.eeb.cornell.edu/howarth/publications/Howarth_2016_methane_emissions_summary.pdf

At 350 CT , we hope that everyone who cares about the climate crisis will share this letter with their representatives at the state capital.  It would be most effective if you can do this in person, at their office or a public event but please spread this to as many people in the state government as possible.

Due to a scheduling conflict with a few candidates the forum date has been changed from Thursday July 12th to Monday July 16th

Climate Change and Connecticut Governor Candidate Forum
As we have seen in the last few years, the governor of CT has a large influence on the climate policy of our state. They will appoint the head of the Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection and Transportation , as well as several members of the GC3 (Governors Council on Climate Change) and can even submit legislation directly to craft policy. In fact the main climate bills to be passed in 2018 were initiated by Gov. Malloy. Well we get to choose a new governor this November.
Because of this, it is important that we find out what the candidates’ policies would be, pressure them to act on the accepted science and implement the radical solutions we need.
Join 350 CT, John Dankowski(moderator) and several other organizations at a Climate Change and CT Candidates Forum on July 16th at Trinity College in Hartford.

Please RSVP Here : https://www.meetup.com/350CT-org/events/250709066/
or on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/events/966062240223264/

Also we need these candidates to know that this is an important issue to the voters. Please call, write or tweet their campaigns and demand that they come to this forum and come with solutions to the climate crisis:
Ned Lamont      203-859-5896      203-387-7990

Joe Ganim       203-332-1135       [email protected]

Mark Boughton      203-797-4511 .    @MayorMark

Tim Herbst.          @TimHerbst

Steve Obsitinik         203-448-0750        [email protected]    @steveobsitnik

Bob Stefanowski         [email protected]

David Stemerman         203-485-5299        [email protected]

Oz Griebel          203-521-2606         [email protected]

Micah Welintukonis           [email protected]

Rod Hanscomb         203-383-9617       [email protected]

Sample Phone Script : Hello, I am a member of 350 CT and will be voting for CT this November. The next governor needs to help our state be a leader in addressing climate change and deal with its effects. If you would like my vote please attend the Climate Change and Connnecticut forum at Trinity College on July 16th. Thank you.

Sample Tweet : <Twitter Handle> Climate Change is happening now and CT needs to address it. If you would like to lead the state, we need to hear your plan. Join the Climate Change & CT Forum to reach climate voters. #climatevoter #ctgovernor

“Climate Change & Connecticut” Governor’s Candidate Forum

Monday, Jul 16, 2018, 6:00 PM

Trinity College Mather Hall
300 Summit Street Hartford, CT

10 Earth Savers Attending

CT Climate groups are organizing a forum for gubernatorial candidates in CT focusing on issues around climate change and environmental justice. Please plan to join us at Trinity College (300 Summit St, Hartford) Washington Room in Mather Hall on July 16th at 6:00 PM Jon Dankosky,host of NEXT & the Wheelhouse on WNPR ,will be moderating a forum on c…

Check out this Meetup →

Download 350 CT Flyer for Immigration Actions

Article :
If You Care About Climate Change, You Should Care about Anti-Immigrant Policy

350 CT stands with immigrants.  In fact we welcome them.  This nation was made by immigrants and is made better, stronger and more valuable by people migrating here every year.  Climate change will increase migration to North America in the coming years and who know how many of these new residents will be key to the solutions we need to reach 100% renewable energy and a clean non-polluting economy?
We encourage our members to attend rallies this weekend and especially the Free Our Future Rally at the Immigration Office in Hartford ( 450 Main St ) on Monday July 2nd.

List of rallies this Saturday:

Families Belong Together – Middletown

Saturday, June 30 at 11 a.m.

Union Green.    Middletown, CT 06457

Walk for Dreamers and Immigrants 

Saturday, June 30 at 9:30 a.m.

310 Goff Rd, Wethersfield, CT 06109

Justice for Immigrant Families

Saturday, June 30 at 10 a.m.

Deep River Town Hall

Families Belong Together Vigil

Saturday, June 30 at 10 a.m.

Two Wrasslin’ Cats.    East Haddam, CT

Families Belong Together – Milford 

Saturday, June 30 at 9:30 a.m.

Milford City Hall.   Milford, CT

Southbury Believes Families Belong Together! 

Saturday, June 30 at 11 a.m.

Playhouse Corner in Southbury.   Southbury, CT

Families Belong Together— June 30

Saturday, June 30 at 11 a.m.

Stratford Town Hall (Town Green), 2725 Main St

Litchfield Wants Families Kept Together 

Saturday, June 30 at 11 a.m.

Litchfield Town Green.    Litchfield, CT

Fairfield County Believes Families Belong Together 

Saturday, June 30 at 11 a.m.

Sherman Green Gazebo,   Fairfield, CT

In 2018 the CT legislature once again fell short in recognizing the emergency of the climate crisis and missed the opportunity to make our state a leader in clean energy. We are fortunate in the state that vocal climate deniers are rare but inaction in policy is just as dangerous to our ecosystem as the proverbial hot air coming from those who reject the scientific consensus.
The legislative calendar began with some hope for progress on clean energy, mass transit, and climate justice. There were more than a dozen bills proposed and submitted to different committees. These potential laws and regulations ranged from carbon fee/dividend and penalties for gas pipeline leaks to expanding community solar(to everyone) and emission reduction goals. While there were benefits and drawbacks to these pieces of legislation and worthy conversations to be had on the best way to implement them, this is not what happened. After the committee process and the legislative leaders decided on what would and would not be voted on we only saw 3 significant climate related bills that could be approved :
S.B. No. 7 : An Act Concerning Climate Change Planning & Resiliency
S.B. No. 9 : AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT’S ENERGY FUTURE
S.B. 336 : AN ACT CONCERNING COMMUNITY SHARED SOLAR.
The multiple provisions of these bills contained some positive aspects : raising the Renewable Portfolio Standard (the amount of clean energy utilities must procure) to 40% by 203, expanding solar access to more CT residents, eliminating procurement of energy from fracked methane gas, and setting a better interim target of 45% pollution emission reduction by 2030. However these positive steps did not signify the CT government shifting away from using fossil fuels and embracing the life saving, job creating, cost lowering society that would result from an all out focus on a pollution free society.
Furthermore, these minimum reforms to our energy system were too radical for some legislators unwilling to imagine a future society different from the past and present. These bills were endlessly resisted and amended to weaken them and delay the necessary and inevitable transition to solar, wind and other emission free energy sources. The community shared solar bill was completely erased and replaced with legislation dealing with broadband internet. SB 7 was saddled with a Eversource, United Illuminating and industry backed gutting of Net Metering(or Electric Price Equality) so that they don’t have to pay solar power produces a fair price for the service they provide all of the state’s residents. In a time when the solar industry is expanding in CT , providing good safe jobs for the people that cannot be outsourced and reducing our need for expensive, volatile , imported fossil fuels WHY would our representatives seek to slow that growth and make it harder to switch to solar?
It is clear that, while there are climate champions in CT, the majority of our legislators are ignorant or willfully blind to the escalating danger of climate disruption to our state, our country and it’s people. Have they forgotten SuperStorm Sandy that ravaged our coast and caused damage that is still being repaired? Have they not noticed the rising temperatures that caused May 2018 to be the fourth hottest on record according to The Weather Channel? How can they avoid seeing the devastation in Puerto Rico and the hundreds of CT families affected by the ongoing tragedy on that American island? Will they only realize the massive cost in money, property and people’s lives when it happens to them? Because it is happening to all of us and none of us will be spared from a climate that is no longer hospitable to our species.
The CT government needs to wake up and realize that change around the edges will not be enough to deal with the climate crisis. We need to reshape our state to depend on clean energy for power and transportation and we need to start now. We have the technology to do it, we have the union workers to build it and we have the opportunity to lead. We just need the leaders to realize we’re all in the together and when we take mass action we can become those leaders. 350 CT continues to demand an end to the fossil fuel era and a just transition to 100% clean renewable energy with a powerful march and rally the weekend of Sept 9th in addition to joining with other environmental groups to pressure candidates for CT governor to enact this transition at a forum on July 12th.(Update: Forum  date has been changed to July 16th.)

Ben Martin
[email protected]