June Advocacy Update
May 31, 2023
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.
Recent Posts
Advocacy News: May 2026
The Good News: CT Senator Chris Murphy has introduced a bill (bipartisan and bicameral) to increase funding for Agricultural Management Assistance to $30 million and to expand the eligible uses for these funds to include “soil health improvements, composting, implementing organic farming, and food safety certification in addition to existing authorized uses such as water management structure and soil erosion control.” Let’s thank Senator Murphy for introducing this bill!
The Bad News: The Farm Bill passed the House of Representatives on April 30, despite 320 food, farm, and conservation organizations, including CT NOFA, voicing our opposition to a bill that does not fix SNAP, does not support new and beginning farmers, and does not adequately support conservation programs or organic agriculture. Now it goes to the Senate and we need to urge both of Connecticut’s Senators to reject this Farm Bill.
Our Vision for a Future of Resilient, Plentiful, Healthy and Locally-Grounded Farming and Food
In concluding its annual retreat, the Northeast Organic Farming Association Interstate Council (NOFA IC) reaffirms the values that have grounded our work for 55 years.
Our vision is that every person is able to live their life with healthy food, clean water and air, community, livelihood, dignity, and purpose within the means of our life-giving planet. We seek that vision on every level, from our households and farms to our communities, states, bioregions, nation, and world. For that vision to be fulfilled, every person, no matter their origin or circumstances, must have all their basic human needs met without degrading the air, water, soil, ecosystems, and climate which we have been given and on which we depend for our lives.