Climate And Environmental Groups Come Together To Outline Solutions In Newly Released Policy Paper12/15/2023 We are thrilled to share with you the launch of a new policy paper crafted to inform and remind legislators of the critical need to prioritize climate action in our state. This research delves into solutions addressing environmental justice and equity in the ongoing battle against climate change.
We invite you to spread the word within your network to heighten awareness and amplify the voices advocating for climate action in our state. Check out the latest press release below and delve into "Our Climate Can't Wait" today. Connecticut Lags Behind Neighbors on Efficiency, Solar Power, and Clean Heat HARTFORD, CT. – Today, Connecticut climate and environmental groups released a policy paper in support of increased energy efficiency, solar power and available clean heat. Titled “Our Climate Can’t Wait,” the paper outlines Connecticut's clean energy shortcomings and offers suggestions on how legislators can steer the state towards its decarbonization goals. While neighboring states have made impressive progress on clean energy, Connecticut continues to rank near the bottom of the New England states in per capita installed solar. Rather than make necessary strides on renewable energy, Connecticut has instead continued to rely on fracked gas that worsens respiratory conditions, raises energy bills, and pollutes the air. Read the “Our Climate Can’t Wait” Policy Paper Here. Connecticut law mandates a 100% zero-carbon electricity supply by 2040 and greenhouse gas emission reductions of 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. Three key sets of action are recommended in the policy paper: Advance Energy Efficiency Programs: Increase and stabilize efficiency funding and allow greater access for low-income communities and renters to energy efficiency programs that reduce consumption and lower bills. Advance Solar Power: Set ambitious goals to increase solar in Connecticut; prioritize existing infrastructure like rooftops and parking lots for installation; make going solar easier and cheaper for homeowners, renters, small businesses, and others. Advance Clean Heat: Set ambitious goals to get more heat pumps in Connecticut; create a program to equitably install heat pumps; require energy utilities to launch community geothermal pilots. By rapidly making progress in these three areas, Connecticut can alleviate present-day energy concerns, move towards achieving its climate and clean energy goals, and ensure a livable planet for future generations. Representatives for the environmental groups issued the following statements to mark the policy paper release: “Fossil fuels Connecticut uses to light and heat our homes and buildings during cold, dark New England winters are worsening the climate crisis, threatening our public health, and raising our energy bills,” said Samantha Dynowski, Chapter Director of Sierra Club Connecticut. “Our residents, families, and businesses cannot afford to delay an equitable clean energy transition any longer. State legislators must get Connecticut on track quickly by setting ambitious solar and clean heat targets and supporting accessible energy efficiency programs to ensure these targets are achieved.” “Connecticut must truly invest in the known solutions and proven paths to equitably protect communities against the worst of climate disaster,” said Leticia Colon de Mejias, president of Green Eco Warriors. “In 2024, our state legislators must invest more in energy efficiency - the most cost-effective way to lower bills, reduce pollution and drive down energy demand. Our efficiency program can’t keep up with the current demands and needs more support.” “As a movement of elders focused on both climate and democracy, Third Act Connecticut will be organizing around this legislation and more in the upcoming session. Sound public policy is essential as the climate crisis amps up and these proposed initiatives are key for CT, especially its elder and struggling populations,” said Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree, co-facilitator, Third Act Connecticut. “In our assessment of the climate crisis we believe society is going to need aggressive actions on all of the renewable energy options, particularly solar and wind, said Nathan Frohling, Director of External Affairs for The Nature Conservancy in CT. “This paper can be instrumental in accelerating thoughtful action on solar which is a particularly crucial need in CT.” “Our addiction to fossil fuels is poisoning our air and driving the climate crisis,” said Shannon Laun, Vice President for Connecticut at Conservation Law Foundation. “We’re clearly falling behind our neighbors in transitioning to clean, renewable sources of energy and heating, and it’s time for Connecticut to catch up. Our leaders need to walk the walk when it comes to confronting the climate crisis.” “We are well beyond the climate crisis timeline when doing the bare minimum is enough. The Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs is committed to passing and enacting significant legislation in 2024 that addresses energy efficiency, solar power, clean sources of heat and renewable energy jobs. If the State is going to meet 2030 mandates to reduce dependency on fossil fuels we – collectively, for the benefit of everyone – must be diligent in putting our electeds on notice that the time to act is now, without further delay,” said Aziz Dehkan, Executive Director, CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs "The health and climate benefits of energy efficiency, solar and clean heat are widely understood. What is less well understood", said Mark Scully, President of People's Action for Clean Energy, "is that these tools lay a path for lower energy costs in Connecticut. Until we transition away from fuels, we are locked into ever increasing--and highly volatile--energy expenditures. The Inflation Reduction Act and Bilateral Infrastructure Law provide a unique chance to defray the costs of the transition to clean energy. By doing so, we will lower our energy bills and make Connecticut businesses more competitive. Let's not squander this opportunity to take advantage of federal funding to transition to lower, more stable energy costs--and address climate change in the process." “The recommendations in this policy paper can be acted upon immediately. Together, they provide a clear set of directions to our state leaders to help constituents save energy, save money, and reduce pollution,” said Lori Brown, CTLCV Executive Director. “The more people learn about heat pumps, the more excited they get. Combined with some basic steps like insulation, heat pumps are unquestionably a key solution to high energy costs and reducing our dependence on oil and gas.”
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2024 Environmental Summit
Tuesday, January 23, 2024 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Connecticut Science Center, 150 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford Our annual Environmental Summit is not just an event; it's a dynamic gathering of like-minded individuals, environmental leaders, lawmakers, and policy experts. This year's summit will delve into critical environmental issues, providing crucial insights as legislators gear up for the 2024 General Assembly session. Connect with fellow advocates, environmental experts, and influential lawmakers to strengthen your network and deepen your impact. While the details of this year's panels are still being finalized, visit the 2023 Environmental Summit archive to catch a glimpse of the informative sessions that have shaped our ongoing commitment to environmental advocacy. REGISTER TODAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES CLICK HERE TO ADD TO CALENDAR CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS We believe in nurturing the next generation of environmental leaders. If you're a student or know someone who is, encourage them to register early. A limited number of complimentary tickets are still available. We look forward to your participation in this pivotal event that aims to shape the future of environmental policy in Connecticut. Together, we can be catalysts for positive change. We recently sent you a postcard highlighting the important work CTLCV is doing to protect Connecticut's environment and natural resources. We are happy to report, thanks to a generous donor, all gifts through this postcard campaign were matched dollar for dollar, up to $10,000.
Through the generosity of this donor, we are able to extend our matching gift program until December 10th! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to double your impact to help Connecticut’s environment! We hope you will join the many others who have recently supported us as 2023 comes to a close by making a donation. You have made your voice heard through our action alerts or by donating to National LCV. Will you take it one step further by making a donation to the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters? This past week, the Governor and top Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate held a press conference to address a significant development in the fight to adopt Clean Car/Clean Truck standards in Connecticut. Since the regulations were announced this summer, the fossil fuel industry has poured millions into a misinformation campaign. Unfortunately, it had the desired effect and the proposed regulations were withdrawn by the Governor on Tuesday due to a perceived lack of support in the Regulations Review committee. BUT - this is a setback, not a defeat. With some of the worst air quality and the highest asthma rates in the country, we are going to keep fighting! Failure to pass these regulations means that Connecticut will leave the Clean Car program, lose out on critical federal funding, and fall behind other states in our region in addressing air quality, offering clean transportation, and fighting climate change. The Governor’s press conference on Tuesday was packed with advocates and legislators, all voicing their resolve to continue working to get these regulations passed. These discussions are starting tomorrow. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you speak out immediately to let the House and Senate Democrats know you want them to fight for strong clean air standards. CONTACT DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS If they don’t pass these regulations, the clean car standards that have been in place for 20 years WILL BE TAKEN AWAY! For an overview of what is at stake, please watch a recording of the press conference on CT-N. You can also read the latest article by the CT Mirror. Thank you for stepping up when it matters the most. We recently sent you a postcard to highlight the important work CTLCV does to protect Connecticut's environment. Thanks to a generous donor, all gifts are matched dollar for dollar, up to $5,000.
We are thrilled to announce that another donor has extended their generosity and we are able to continue our matching gift program until December 10th! We hope you will join the many others who have recently supported us as the year comes to a close by making a donation. You have made your voice heard through our action alerts or by donating to National LCV. Will you take it one step further by making a donation to the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters? On behalf of the staff and board at CTLCV, we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your loved ones. We are so grateful for your continued support as we fight to take bold action on Climate Change. In fact, the CTLCV Team will once again be at the Capitol tomorrow urging action on emission standards.
Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving back to your community. We hope you will consider giving back to CTLCV to help us continue to improve Connecticut’s environment. Make your gift early to help energize our Giving Tuesday campaign! Click here to support #GivingTuesday2023 with a contribution to CTLCV. Donating only takes a minute, but the impact lasts a lifetime. Right now, all donations through November 30th will be matched, essentially doubling your gift. In addition, we are pleased to announce that with each $100 donation made through our Giving Tuesday campaign, CTLCV will plant a tree through One Tree Planted. Join our community to take bold action on climate change. Take it one step further by donating to CTLCV as we celebrate #GivingTuesday2023. Please attend the Legislative Regulation Review Committee meeting with us. The Reg Review committee will discuss and vote on clean cars and clean trucks regulations - please show your support. (Wear green, if you have it!)
Tuesday, November 28 11:00 am (arrive at 10:30 am to gather) Legislative Office Building, Room 1E 300 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT For more information, check out this helpful FAQ sheet. Also, call your legislator and tell them you support these regulations - they are getting bombarded with calls from the opposition. You can find your legislator here. Other important people that you should contact today! Gov Ned Lamont: 860-566-4840 Senate President Martin Looney: 860-240-0375 (Foster Hall, legislative aide) Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff: 860-240-0414 (Dean O'Brien, aide), bob.duff@cga.ct.gov Speaker Matt Ritter: 860-240-8585, matthew.ritter@cga.ct.gov The Clean Cars and Clean Trucks regulations that were on the agenda for tomorrow's Legislative Regulation Review Committee are being withdrawn by the Governor. He will be holding a press conference at 1:30 pm in the Capitol Building in Room 3:10, the Old Appropriations Room. We are encouraging people to come to the press conference to show support for the regulations.
If you are able, please also come to the Reg Review Committee meeting as planned. The fossil-fuel funded misinformation campaign has been very strong and legislators need to see that people want clean air and a healthy climate. Hope to see you tomorrow! Once again, we are excited to announce the 3rd annual "Night for the Environment," happening at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard in North Stonington on December 2nd, 2023, from 6-10 pm. This casual event will feature food, a cash bar, and live music by local musicians "The Fake Experience."
We expect the event to sell out and wanted to share this opportunity with our friends in the Southeastern Connecticut area before it does. If you are interested, please consider purchasing your ticket today by clicking here. There will also be a silent auction and raffle and we are still looking for donations. If you are interested in contributing please reach out today! Finally, sponsorships are available for those interested. Become a Fire, Water, Land, or Air sponsor by clicking here. Thank you in advance for your support! CTLCV Night For The Environment Saturday, December 2nd 6-10PM Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard 113 Pendleton Hill Rd North Stonington, CT 06359 As the year begins to come to a close, you may be starting to consider where and how to give back to communities you support. We encourage you to consider CTLCV as a way to not only give back, but to also make a significant impact on the future of Connecticut’s environment. There are several ways you can give to CTLCV and we want to take a moment to highlight two of them that may be of interest to some of you; Stock Gifts and Qualified Charitable Distributions.
Stock Gifts: Both the CT League of Conservation Voters 501(c)(4) and the CTLCV Education Fund 501(c)(3) can accept stock gifts, also known as “appreciated securities”. You can make outright gifts of appreciated securities (stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares) at full fair-market value. To avoid capital gains taxes, you must transfer the ownership of the securities to the CTLCV brokerage account. If you contribute stock to our 501(c)(3), you avoid the capital gains tax and you are eligible for a charitable tax deduction. If you contribute to our 501(c)(4), you avoid the capital gains tax but the gift is nondeductible. For more information, please click here. IRA Distributions: IRA gifts are known as Qualified Charitable Distributions, or QCDs. If you are at least 70.5 years old, you are allowed to give charities a collective sum up to $100,000 a year directly from your IRA without it counting as taxable income. This gift also counts towards your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), or the annual amount you are required to withdraw from your IRA account after you reach the age of 73. If you file jointly, your spouse may also make a QCD from his or her own IRA account up to $100,000. QCD gifts may only be made to the CT League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, a qualified 501(c)(3) organization that is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Our 501(c)(4) organization is not eligible to receive QCD gifts. For more information, please click here. On behalf of the staff and board, thank you for considering these ways of giving to CTLCV and CTLCV Education Fund. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Sincerely, Connor Yakaitis Development Director You are invited to join CTLCV in our 3rd Annual "Night For The Environment" which will support the important environmental work that CTLCV is engaged in.
This event will take place on Saturday December 2nd from 6-10pm at The Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard located at 113 Pendleton Hill Road in North Stonington. Tickets are 75.00 each and include food, music from the Fake Experience, and a cash bar. Sponsorships are available by contacting Mike Urgo at mike@ctlcv.org or by visiting our SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. CTLCV Night For The Environment Saturday, December 2nd 6-10PM Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard 113 Pendleton Hill Rd North Stonington, CT 06359 CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS Mark your calendars! We are excited to announce the 2024 Environmental Summit will be held on Tuesday, January 23rd from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm at the Connecticut Science Center, 250 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford. RSVP for this event. More details and info coming soon.
Secure your ticket now! A limited number of complimentary student tickets are also available. REGISTER TODAY CLICK HERE TO ADD TO CALENDAR CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS It's Election Day in Connecticut, and we're urging everyone to exercise their democratic right by voting today! GO VOTE before 8pm tonight!
By casting your ballot, you play an essential role in shaping the future of Connecticut. Every vote counts, and your active participation can significantly impact our state's environmental policies and leadership. Click here to find your polling place here. For additional resources on voting, please visit the Voting Rights Page on our website. Thank you for your continued support and active participation in the democratic process. Together, we can create a cleaner, more sustainable Connecticut. Your vote is your voice, your power, and your impact on who will serve as our elected leaders. Don't stand on the sidelines – step up, be heard, and shape the future with your ballot! -The CTLCV Team Today, we are excited to announce the release of our 2023 Environmental Scorecard, a powerful tool that holds our state lawmakers accountable for their environmental policy decisions.
CTLCV is a voice for the environment and we publish the annual Environmental Scorecard to let voters know what kind of actions their state representatives and senators take – or do not take – to protect the environment. The 2023 Environmental Scorecard highlights legislative achievements and showcases the successes in wildlife protection, environmental justice, and substantial funding for land conservation and open space access. This is the first year that CTLCV has included a separate Democracy Score as well as the legislator’s Environmental Score. In that regard, CTLCV is celebrating a victory for voting rights with the passage of Early Voting legislation and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act. Connecticut has a history of environmental leadership among New England states, but we are losing ground and falling behind. The Scorecard identifies key environmental issues, including the ones that did not pass. CTLCV is working with fellow environmental leaders to push for these important priorities again in 2024. Despite the progress made with several CTLCV-backed bills, many faced obstacles and never advanced. Notably, certain proposals, like legislation aimed at prohibiting pesticides, had strong public support but was staunchly opposed by industry lobbyists. An additional challenge revolved around Connecticut's waste management bills that encountered vehement opposition from waste haulers. Similarly, initiatives to combat climate change were met with substantial resistance at the Capitol. Despite these challenges, we remain committed to our mission, and the stalled legislation of 2023 are now opportunities for 2024. We will redouble our efforts to protect our environment and create a more sustainable Connecticut. We see every hurdle as an opportunity for growth. We encourage you to check your state legislators' score. The scorecard serves as a valuable tool to facilitate information and promote open, meaningful dialogue between legislators and their constituents. We hope you had a chance to join us at our 2023 Environmental Achievement Awards. The event was a wonderful example of the dedication and passion that drives our mission at CTLCV. Here’s a short video with a few clips from the event!
As a member of CTLCV, you have the opportunity to be a part of our ongoing efforts to protect and preserve Connecticut's environment. Your membership directly supports our advocacy for strong environmental policies, our endorsement of pro-environment candidates, and our grassroots initiatives that drive positive change in our state. Our work is only possible with the support of dedicated members like you. By becoming a CTLCV member, you join us in our mission to create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for all Connecticut residents. Don't miss this chance to be a part of our environmental legacy. If you are already a member, thank you! If you know someone who might like to join us, please feel free to pass this along. Together, we can make a lasting impact in protecting Connecticut's environment for current and future generations. |
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