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Scorecard highlights Congressional Republicans’ efforts to pull the plug on clean energy, advance Big Polluters’ wish list, and undermine free and fair elections.
Hartford, CT – Today, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) released the federal Connecticut delegation’s scores for the League of Conservation Voters’ 2025 National Environmental Scorecard highlighting our state’s leaders' work to protect our environment despite an unprecedented year with a record number of attacks on our environment and democracy. Connecticut’s delegation fought against Republicans in Congress, who repeatedly chose loyalty to the Trump administration and Big Polluters over making life safer, healthier, and more affordable for their own constituents. The result has been higher energy costs for working families, lost jobs and economic opportunities, the selling of tens of millions of acres of public lands and waters to Big Polluters, fewer clean air and water safeguards, and increased pollution. Congressional Republicans threatened free and fair elections; however, our entire House delegation voted against these efforts to undermine our democracy, and, thanks to Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, they failed in the Senate. In the face of these challenges, they stood up for the pillars of our democratic institutions that make climate action possible. Climate advocacy depends on a strong democracy and the rule of law. At the same time, our delegation has worked to help keep Connecticut and New England on track to meet our climate goals. This includes supporting the reinstatement of Revolution Wind after baseless attempts to derail the nearly completed clean energy project. “While CTLCV works every day in Hartford to advance strong environmental policies for CT communities, the same battles are being fought in Washington, DC, by our friends and leaders at the League of Conservation Voters. CTLCV thanks them for their advocacy and thanks our federal delegation for their hard work in standing up against environmental injustices at the national level.” said Connor Yakaitis, CTLCV Deputy Director. “We’ve never seen a Congressional majority so willfully abandon its responsibilities to protect their own constituents and the Constitution and instead relentlessly attack the health and safety of our communities, our environment, and our right to a free and fair democracy,” said LCV Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Sara Chieffo. “Those members of Congress who voted for the “Big Ugly Bill” killed clean energy incentives at a time when energy demand is at all-time highs and energy prices are rising higher than ever. It’s no surprise that while this Congress has been doing the bidding of President Trump and Big Polluters, utility costs rose 13% nationwide last year. We commend the members of Congress who forced votes to protect U.S.-made clean energy, our treasured public lands, critical federal agency funding, and our rights — pushing back on extreme Republican efforts to make it harder for people to vote and hand even more power to Trump.” The full delegation’s scores for 2025 are: Senator Blumenthal - 97% Senator C. Murphy - 97% Representative Larson, J. - 97% Representative Courtney - 100% Representative DeLauro - 100% Representative Himes - 97% Representative Hayes - 100% The 2025 Scorecard scored: 34 Senate votes including:
LCV has published a National Environmental Scorecard every Congress since 1970. The Scorecard represents the consensus of experts from more than 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who selected the key votes on which members of Congress should be scored. LCV scores votes on the most important issues of the year, including energy, climate change, environmental justice, public health, public lands and wildlife conservation, democracy, and spending for environmental programs. The votes included in the Scorecard presented members of Congress with a real choice and helped distinguish which legislators are working for environmental protection. More information on individual votes and the Scorecard archive can be found at scorecard.lcv.org. ### The CT League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) is a nonpartisan statewide organization dedicated to protecting Connecticut's environment. CTLCV works to pass equitable and sustainable legislation that impacts our air, land, water, wildlife, and climate and holds all state legislators accountable with an annual Environmental Scorecard. Visit ctlcv.org for more information on CTLCV. Media Contacts: Gracie Pope, Communications Manager | [email protected] | (803) 493-0228 Lori Brown, Executive Director | [email protected] | (860) 214-0345 National LCV | [email protected] | The Trump administration officially announced its repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s “endangerment finding,” the bedrock scientific determination that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare. This shortsighted retrenchment is a direct attack on public health, our economy, our communities, our planet, and our future.
This unprecedented move seeks to deny what we already know: greenhouse gas emissions are harming public health, destabilizing our planet, and costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars. The endangerment finding, established in 2009 based on overwhelming scientific evidence, is the legal foundation that allows the EPA to regulate climate pollution from power plants, cars, and other sources under the Clean Air Act. Here’s what we’re doing: CTLCV is committed to ensuring Connecticut does its part to curb pollution. We are working to implement CT’s Global Warming Solutions Act, which requires our state to lower climate-damaging emissions while creating jobs and improving community resilience. Curbing use of fossil fuels will lower energy bills today and into the future, and will result in greater energy independence. Through our partnerships across the state as part of the CT Coalition for Climate Action, we remain committed to ensuring that Connecticut meets its emission reduction mandates regardless of federal rollbacks. We continue to champion energy efficiency, the most cost-effective strategy to minimize waste, save money, and reduce greenhouse gas pollution. Efficiency creates in-state jobs while helping families lower their energy bills. We’re fighting to expand access to clean, renewable energy – now the lowest cost power on the planet – as well as weatherization programs that make Connecticut homes more affordable and comfortable while reducing our reliance on the fossil fuels responsible for climate change. We look forward to working with our state lawmakers and the Lamont Administration to double down – not rollback – climate action efforts. This work is more important than ever. Hartford, CT— Today, the Connecticut Coalition for Climate Action released its priorities for the 2026 legislative session.
The Coalition, a broad-based and growing group of 168 health care providers, scientists, environmental organizations, religious groups, and others representing more than 300,000 members, was formed two years ago to address the climate crisis and environmental health and economic burdens facing Connecticut. “The Connecticut Coalition for Climate Action brings together a variety of organizations and individuals to collectively fight for positive climate legislation at the State Capitol. Our collaborative decision-making process allows us to choose priorities that represent the most pressing matters in climate. Together, we use our voice to advocate for a healthier, safer, and cleaner Connecticut.” said Julianna McVeigh, Doherty Climate & Resilience Institute Campaigns Manager at Save the Sound. Coalition members will be working together to achieve three key policy solutions this session:
These solutions work toward the Coalition’s overarching goals of helping businesses and families save money, expanding solar, and protecting and improving health in our communities. Read more about the coalition’s proposed solutions here. Here’s what members of the coalition’s steering committee had to say: “Our state has very clear climate goals which we are required by law to meet. Do our legislators have the sense of urgency needed to put laws in place to get us there? Even in a short legislative session, we have to push for progress every single year, and we need our state’s elected leaders to make it happen,” said Lori Brown, CT League of Conservation Voters. “Almost everyone is facing the same reality right now: it costs too much to keep the lights on and our homes warm,” said Shannon Laun, Conservation Law Foundation Vice President for Connecticut. “It’s our goal to make sure no one ever has to sacrifice the necessities to pay their utility bills. Clean energy is affordable energy – and every Connecticut family and business deserves access to solutions that will cut costs and pollution.” “Energy efficiency and energy self-reliance must be at the center of any affordability discussion. Protecting and enhancing Connecticut’s efficiency programs addresses the root causes of high energy prices and delivers immediate bill relief and long-term resilience,” said Bernie Pelletier, People’s Action for Clean Energy. “Connecticut Health Professionals for Climate Action (CHPCA) stands in support of protecting the Public Benefits Charge, which funds life-saving electricity protections for our patients who depend on continuous power for medical conditions,” said Dr. Kirsten Ek, Connecticut Health Professions for Climate Action. “We support expanding affordable clean energy options for all Connecticut residents—including weatherization programs, heat pumps, thermal energy networks, wind, solar access—and innovative solutions like plug-in solar. These programs deliver a triple win: lower energy costs for families, cleaner air from reduced fossil fuel combustion, and climate protection for Connecticut’s children, whose health outcomes depend on the decisions legislators make today.” “Everyone is affected by climate change, but some are more affected than others.” said Dr. Mark Mitchell of the CT Environmental Justice Leadership Collaborative and Mitchell Environmental Health Associates. “Children, elderly, low-wealth populations and many communities of color are more exposed and less able to protect themselves from the health harms of climate change, such as extreme heat and cold weather, as well as flooding These communities are under attack from the Trump Administration, which has cut federal funding for climate adaptation as well as mitigation. This has led directly to the closure or near closure of several organizations that have been trying to address these needs. Now is the time for the State of Connecticut to step up to preserve and expand the climate protections for those who are most vulnerable.” “One of the most important things we can do during the legislative session is to pay attention to the narrative that is out there on critical issues like energy affordability and help make sure that our policymakers are working with the facts. The ‘narrative’ needs to catch up and help convey that clean energy can be cost competitive while playing a key role in providing for energy demand, energy reliability, emissions reduction, economic and job growth along with important health benefits,” said Nathan Frohling, Director of External Affairs for The Nature Conservancy of CT. “Energy efficiency and clean energy are the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy costs, improve air quality, and protect the environment. But even more than that, we can’t have healthy people, healthy food, healthy water, or healthy wildlife on a sick and polluted planet. We have a moral, ethical, and spiritual imperative to care for the world around us,” said Terri Eickel, Executive Director of the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network. “Connecticut’s climate future is at a critical juncture. The Trump Administration is pushing a dangerous fossil fuel agenda that leads to more pollution and higher energy bills. In 2026, our lawmakers must stand strong for our communities and our planet. To do that, lawmakers must protect Connecticut families and communities from the costs and impacts of extreme weather, and deliver more affordable and sustainable clean energy,” said Samantha Dynowski, State Director of Sierra Club Connecticut. About the Connecticut Coalition for Climate Action The Connecticut Coalition for Climate Action is a statewide alliance of environmental, labor, faith, health, and community organizations representing more than 300,000 people, working together to advance equitable climate solutions that reduce pollution, lower energy costs, and build a just and resilient clean energy economy. |
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February 2026
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