June Advocacy Update

Urgent Action at the End of the CT Legislative Session

From Dr. Kimberly Stoner, CT NOFA Director of Advocacy

As the end of the session for the CT General Assembly approaches on June 7, we are still pushing to get any major environmental bills to make it through. As of the time I am writing this (May 30), there are a few climate bills that are still alive and deserve your vocal support:

• SB 4 An Act Concerning Connecticut’s Present and Future Housing Needs.
• SB 961 An Act Concerning Carbon-Free School Requirements for New School Construction
• SB 979 An Act Concerning the Establishment of the Connecticut Home Energy Label and Tree Canopy of Certain Municipalities
• SB 1147 An Act Concerning the Environmental Justice Program of DEEP
• HB 6397 An Act Concerning Zero Carbon Emissions

The bill most likely to pass of those above is SB 961, which passed unanimously in the Senate, but still must go through the House. Perhaps the most important of these bills is HB 6397, which establishes a Decarbonization Roadmap — requiring all the state agencies to make a plan of how we will actually get to our goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Action Item

Call your legislators, and tell them that we need action on these bills in order to reach our goals for greenhouse gas reduction, adaptation to a changing climate, and environmental justice. Also call the Speaker of the House, Matt Ritter (860-240-8500), and Senate President, Martin Looney (860-240-8614), and ask that these bills be given priority for a vote before the end of the session.

Outreach this Summer

The Connecticut Environmental Rights Amendment, which CT NOFA played an important role in bringing forward for the first time this session, had a successful public hearing in the Environment Committee, but did not make it to a vote. The fact that we got a public hearing was a huge step forward for a bill that had only been proposed for the first time this session. In order to move the ball further down the field for next session, the CT Environmental Rights Amendment Alliance, with 42 organizations signed on, is planning a big campaign of community outreach between now and next year. We are making plans to distribute information and sign up supporters at fairs, festivals, and the famous Willimantic 4th of July Boom Box parade.

If you want more information about the CT Environmental Rights Amendment and how it relates to the movement for Environmental Justice, check out this video on the CT NOFA YouTube channel.

If you want to bring the CT Environmental Rights Amendment and other CT NOFA program to your local fair, festival, or other event, contact Kim Stoner: kim@ctnofa.org.