CTLCV, members, and partners have already been busy this month in celebration of #EarthDay, joining millions worldwide in environmental advocacy. Today, our team is participating in a Youth Advocacy Day organized by the Sunrise Movement at the State Capitol.
Since the inaugural Earth Day in 1970, 20 million people have participated in this global movement. It's our actions, as citizens, that can truly drive change. Thank you to everyone who is helping protect our most precious finite resources. It is your engagement and advocacy that make all the difference in our responsibility as stewards of our State and planet. If you are looking for some additional ways to get involved, join CTLCV and our partners at some of these exciting upcoming Action Hours and events: Action Hour: Offshore Wind Join us on Tuesday, April 23rd, at 5 PM for an in-depth discussion on offshore wind in Connecticut. Register here. Discussion: The Payoffs of a Pesticide-Free Yard Hosted by the Norwalk River Watershed and the Pollinator Pathway on Wednesday, April 24th, from 6–7 PM. Register here. Climate, Coffee, and Conversation Join us at Little Oak Cafe in Canton on Saturday, April 27th at 9 AM for a discussion on local environmental issues. Register here. Earth Day Events Branford Town Green, April 27th, 10 AM - 1 PM. More info here. Town Center Park, Hamden, April 27th, 10 AM - 3 PM. More info here. Norwalk Green, April 27th, 12 - 4 PM. More info here. Immanuel Congregational Church, UCC, April 27th, 4 - 5:30 PM. Register here. If you have an Earth Day event you want us to include in next week's email, let us know at ctlcv@ctlcv.org. Thank you, and Happy Earth Day! -The CTLCV Team
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We hope this email finds you well! As part of Earth Week next week, we are thrilled to invite you to two informative events.
There has been a correction to the previously advertised date for the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus (BPRC) Annual Spring Fling. The event is on Thursday, April 18th NOT Friday, April 19th. If you have any questions or would like more information, email ctbprc@gmail.com. Virtual Action Hour on Offshore Wind Date & Time: Virtual event- Tuesday, April 23rd at 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Join us alongside experts David Shadburn from the League of Conservation Voters and Nathan Frohling from the Connecticut Nature Conservancy for a deep dive into the state of offshore wind in Connecticut. We'll also explore the benefits brought by the Inflation Reduction Act to offshore wind. To register for this event, click here. Climate, Coffee, and Conversation Date & Time: Saturday, April 27th from 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Location: Little Oak Cafe, Canton Join CTLCV and the CT Climate Coalition for some coffee and refreshments at Little Oak Cafe. Our special guest, State Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw, will lead a conversation on environmental and climate issues happening locally and at the state level. To register for this event, click here. These events are packed with valuable insights and opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. We hope to see you there! -The CTLCV Team Following last week's legislative updates, we'd like to share important information on some of the key democracy bills we are following this session.
A thriving democracy is the foundation of a healthy environment. That is why we are fighting to safeguard our elections and voting rights, ensuring your voice is heard on issues. Last year marked a milestone with the successful debut of Early Voting in Connecticut. Earlier this month, the state concluded its first-ever early voting period, with approximately 18,000 of Connecticut’s 1.2 million registered voters participating. Additionally, our advocacy efforts contributed to the passage of the No Excuse Absentee Ballot legislation. This will allow voters to have the opportunity to decide whether to amend the state constitution to allow no-excuse absentee voting. Here are some of the priority democracy bills this session: Security of Certain Election Workers and Elections-Related Locations HB 5448: This bill enhances the safety of those who administer our elections. It passed out of the Government Administration & Election Committee. Ballots Made Available In Languages Other Than English HB 5309: This bill aims to improve access for non-English speaking voters. It passed out of the Government Administration & Election Committee. Artificial Intelligence, Deceptive Synthetic Media and Elections HB 5450: This bill is intended to limit the spread of deceptive information related to elections through the use of Artificial Intelligence and deep fakes. This bill will help fight election-related misinformation. Your voice matters this November! This fall, you'll have the chance to vote to make No Excuse Absentee Voting a permanent part of Connecticut's elections. This amendment will ensure the continued flexibility and accessibility of our democracy. Support the amendment this fall – help shape the future of voting in our state! Stay tuned for further information and check our Watchlist for the latest updates on the full range of environmental and democracy related bills that we are following. Thank you for your continued support. Julianna Larue Climate Policy & Outreach Coordinator As part of our ongoing commitment to keeping you informed and engaged, we're excited to share the latest updates and upcoming events going on around the state.
Upcoming Action Hour: CT Dept. of Administrative Services is hosting an online webinar on Tuesday April 9th from 1-2 PM. The Commissioner and staff of the CT Department of Administrative Services (DAS) are holding an online meeting with interested community and statewide sustainability, clean energy, climate, environment, and environmental justice groups. At this meeting, DAS will provide updates on sustainability projects (energy efficiency, decarbonization, renewable energy, transportation, water conservation and building consolidation), and hear questions, concerns and priorities from those in attendance. If you are interested in attending, please contact ryan.ensling@ct.gov. In addition to this Action Hour, there are several other exciting events planned for the upcoming weeks we would like to share. Upcoming Events: The Avon Clean Energy Commission and PACE are hosting an Earth Day event at the Avon Library on Saturday April 13th from 11 AM-12:00 PM. You will hear from the United Nations Association of Connecticut for an official launch of the newly-updated Avon Clean Energy Plan. The panel will share details of the plan and discuss the role the community will play in implementation, with time for questions and actionable takeaways. There will be a celebratory announcement of the Avon Library’s EV charging station and Avon school rooftop solar installations. This is a family-friendly event. For more information and to register for this event, click here. IREJN is hosting the Legislative Prayer Breakfast on Tuesday, April 16th from 8:30-10 AM in Room 310 at the Hartford State Capitol. Breakfast will be available at 8:30 AM; the prayer program will begin at 9:00 AM and will feature prayers from a diversity of religious traditions, as well as the theological and moral case for environmental action. You will also hear from legislative champions on what the next steps are. To register for this event, click here. If you have any questions or need more information about any of these events, please feel free to contact us at ctlcv@ctlcv.org. We're excited about these important conversations and we hope to see you there! -The CTLCV Team Now that the legislative committees have wrapped up their work, we want to share important updates on some of the priority environmental bills we've been tracking on our Watchlist. Your ongoing advocacy has helped to move these bills, but there's still important work to be done.
CLIMATE HB 5004: This is the major climate bill of the session. It generated huge turnout at the public hearing and was voted out of the Environment Committee. The bill declares a climate crisis and aims to update emissions targets, support green businesses, invest in clean energy, plan for the transition away from fossil fuels, and leverage nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change. PLEASE SEE OUR ACTION ALERT SENT TO YOU EARLIER TODAY. FOOD WASTE SB 191: This bill was moved out of the Environment committee intact, but still needs funding to ensure its goals are met to help municipalities set up the food scrap diversion and donation programs that will reduce our overflowing waste stream. RODENTICIDES HB 5217: This bill was stronger than last year and was passed out of the Environment committee, but DEEP has attached a large fiscal note on the bill (ie, what it will cost to implement the bill). Because of this, it was referred to the Appropriations committee which has not acted on the bill. NEONICS SB 190: Unfortunately, this extremely important legislation was abandoned by the Environment committee. It is still critical for our state to reduce the use of this toxic pesticide and we encourage people to continue to express their support for this legislation. PFAS SB 292: Despite some last minute changes, this legislation is still in a strong position after passing out of the Environment Committee. It will phase out a broad array of consumer products that are contaminating our water and endangering our health due to the toxic PFAS chemicals used in the products. ELECTRIC VEHICLES SB 5485: As previously reported, this legislation is an effort to more fully address the issues raised in opposition to the clean cars and truck legislation we have been fighting for. At its core, this new initiative creates an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council. The bill passed out of the Transportation Committee and awaits action in the House. ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS SJ 193: The Environmental Rights Amendment passed the Government Administration & Election Committee and continues to advance. This bill calls for a ballot referendum to amend our State Constitution that would guarantee the public’s right to a clean and healthy environment and empower all Connecticut residents to hold the state accountable for environmental protection. Be sure to check our Watchlist for the latest updates on these bills and others we are following. We will continue to send alerts on how you can support these bills and contact your lawmakers. Thank you in advance for responding to our Action Alerts and speaking up for Connecticut’s environment! -Lori Brown |
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