Connecticut League of Conservation Voters
5/2/2025
Press Statement 

​“This is what climate leadership looks like. With the passage of HB 5004, the House has set the tone that climate action is a top priority in Connecticut. Now, the Senate must carry that momentum forward,” Lori Brown, Executive Director CTLCV.

Passing HB 5004 is a positive move forward as we work to address climate change. It is part of a larger legislative effort to put Connecticut back on track to meet our climate goals. CTLCV applauds the leadership of Rep. John Michael Parker in moving this legislation forward and CTLCV is encouraged by the continued open communication and collaboration that is taking place this session between the Environment and Energy Committees, as well as the House and Senate. 

Media Contact: 
Gracie Pope, Communications Manager
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2025

Climate Bill HB 5004 Passes the Connecticut State House

Hartford, CT—Today the Connecticut State House voted 98-47 to pass this year’s main climate mitigation bill, House Bill 5004. This comes on the heels of a recent American Lung Association report which showed that Fairfield County is among the worst in New England for ozone pollution, exposing 25% of Connecticut’s population to unhealthy air.

HB 5004 takes steps in the right direction to improve air quality and address the causes of climate change by stopping greenhouse gas emissions at the source. It would update the Global Warming Solutions Act with a net-zero-by-2050 target, support the economy through workforce development and local sustainable purchasing, and leverage nature-based solutions to protect our shoreline communities and sequester carbon. These are all important pieces to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

At the time of passage, the bill had 59 co-sponsors, representing mounting support for climate action across the state.

Members of the Connecticut Coalition for Climate Action applauded the House’s passage and urged the Senate to follow.

“HB 5004 is a step in the right direction to get Connecticut back on track toward meeting our climate goals and reclaiming our role as a climate leader in the region,” said Julianna McVeigh, Climate and Resilience Campaign Manager at Save the Sound. “We hope that this bill is one piece in a larger puzzle of climate legislation that will be passed this session.”

“After two years without action on climate in the Connecticut legislature, we hope that House Bill 5004 is the beginning of a new commitment to address the causes of climate change and its costly impacts on people in our state,” said Samantha Dynowski, State Director of Sierra Club’s Connecticut Chapter.

“Passing HB 5004 is a positive move forward as we work to address climate change. It is part of a larger legislative effort to put Connecticut back on track to meet our climate goals. We thank Rep. John Michael Parker for his leadership in moving this legislation forward and hope to see continued communication and collaboration between the Environment and Energy Committees and the House and Senate to pass a strong set of climate and resilience bills this year,” Lori Brown, Executive Director of Connecticut League of Conservation Voters.

“HB 5004 is an important step forward in addressing climate change.  Houses of worship across Connecticut incorporate environmental ministry with their other ministries because they recognize that how we care for the planet impacts everyone and everything. IREJN is happy that Connecticut is renewing its commitment to energy efficiency and clean energy and we look forward to helping religious communities access programs that will help people reduce their energy cost and improve their quality of life,” said Terri Eickel, Executive Director, Interreligious Eco-Justice Network.

“We can’t forget that the changing climate is the greatest existential challenge we face despite the many immediate concerns that keep us so busy. This bill helps get Connecticut back on track for the larger work that still lies ahead—some of which is contained in other bills the legislature can still work on and pass this year,” said Nathan Frohling, Director of External Affairs for The Nature Conservancy in CT.

“HB 5004 is a modest first step. We hope it is a first step towards the legislature accepting the challenge to enact substantive policies to grow clean energy and mitigate climate change,” said Environment Connecticut Director Chris Phelps.

Other key bills that have yet to get a vote include:

• SB 9, which would help Connecticut prepare for the impacts of climate change by increasing resilience, giving towns the tools to protect against climate-related hazards like sea level rise, rising groundwater, extreme heat, wildfire, drought, and flooding, and equipping residents with the information they need to keep their families safe from flooding.
• SB 4, which we anticipate will be the main vehicle for energy legislation this session. We urge the Energy Committee to incorporate into SB 4 the energy components that were removed from 5004. These include updating Connecticut’s appliance efficiency standards (even more urgent in light the federal government’s recent decision to not enforce federal standards), directing PURA to open a “future of gas” study to begin to responsibly plan for the clean heat future, promoting the development of thermal energy networks, and developing demand response programs for gas distribution customers.

The CT Coalition for Climate Action comprises environmental advocates, health experts, labor and municipal representatives, and others advocating for climate action in Connecticut. Formed in 2023, the Coalition’s central demand is that Connecticut keep its promise to cut climate pollution and protect our future. Members of the coalition’s steering committee are Save the Sound, American College of Physicians – CT Chapter, ConnPIRG, Conservation Law Foundation, CT Health Professionals for Climate Action, CT League of Conservation Voters, Environment Connecticut, Interreligious Eco-Justice Network, Mitchell Environmental Health Associates, People’s Action for Clean Energy, Sierra Club CT, and the Nature Conservancy in CT. More information at www.climateactionct.org

​Contact:
Killian Duborg, [email protected], 720-319-1324
Julianna McVeigh, [email protected], 973-767-8800

​Hartford, CT — A multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals—including physicians, nurses, public health researchers, students, and policymakers—convened in Hartford today to spotlight the increasing burden of climate change on human health. The past year, which set a global record for the highest temperatures in recorded history, subjected Connecticut residents to significant environmental hazards. These included poor air quality and elevated pollen levels in the spring, unprecedented heatwaves and historic flooding in the summer, and extended drought conditions accompanied by brush fires in the fall.

“These patterns are not isolated incidents but indicators of a growing pattern,” explained Dr. Sanjiv Godse, a pediatric pulmonologist and chair of the Connecticut Health Professionals for Climate Action (CHPCA). “Climate change is no longer an abstract concept confined to academic journals—it is happening now in our own backyard.”

Dr. Sarah Evans, an environmental health scientist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Connecticut shoreline resident, noted, "Climate related illnesses are on the rise. As temperatures warm and extreme weather events increase we see higher rates of asthma, heat stroke, dehydration, and infectious disease outbreaks. Children are particularly at risk, with 88% of illnesses resulting from climate change being seen in children under 5-years old. Those living in under-resourced areas are at even greater risk."

Anne Hulick, a nurse with over twenty years experience, emphasized, "In health care we can take great care of sick patients: treat infections, fix broken bones, and even give patients a new heart. But, historically, we fail to connect the dots on how our environment impacts our patient’s health. As nurses on the forefront, we understand the problems better now, have the tools available to fix the problems, and will continue to work with our elected officials.”

Younger generations, who will disproportionately bear the long-term effects of climate change, are particularly concerned about its implications. Stefan Marczuk, a second-year medical student at UConn, reflected on the issue’s urgency as a future healthcare professional, stating, "Climate change will affect every aspect of my career, and as part of the future healthcare force it is a problem now and will be even worse if we do not act now. We need to continue to focus our efforts on decarbonization."

While efforts to build resiliency are ongoing in Connecticut, current actions are not sufficient. Jennifer Wang, Executive Director of the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, highlighted, "We continue to work with the Department of Public Health and partners around the state on climate and health resilience, training local health departments on this issue and helping them develop action plans. But while resilience is important, it’s incumbent on the state legislature to address mitigation.”

In response to the growing crisis, Connecticut legislators have proposed multiple bills, including HB5004, SB7, and SB9, aimed at bolstering climate resilience and public health infrastructure. State Senator Saud Anwar, chair of the Public Health Committee, underscored the importance of state-led initiatives in the absence of reliable federal intervention.

“This year becomes even more critical, as the federal government has made a policy decision to say that climate change is not real,” said Senator Anwar. “Neighboring states are looking to Connecticut for leadership, and we have an opportunity to set a precedent for climate-conscious policymaking that prioritizes health and resilience.” Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey, Co-Chair of the Public Health Committee added, “Everything is connected: how we build and develop communities, how we identify the spread of infectious diseases, how we screen for cancer. These are all affected by our climate and environment. We continue to work with our colleagues on the environment committee and on the planning and development committees. We understand the urgency of this moment.”

Healthcare professionals at the gathering urged legislators to accelerate policy implementation to mitigate the escalating health impacts of climate change. They emphasized the need for comprehensive, science-driven strategies to protect Connecticut’s most vulnerable populations from worsening environmental stressors.
​
For media inquiries, please contact: 
Connecticut Health Professionals for Climate Action (CHPCA)
[email protected]
ConnecticutHPCA.org
Sanjiv Godse, MD  609-751-7709

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​Connecticut Health Professionals for Climate Action (CHPCA) mobilizes healthcare professionals to address the health impacts of climate change. Through education, advocacy, and policy engagement, CHPCA works to advance health equity, promote sustainable healthcare, and drive climate action across Connecticut.

The CT General Assembly’s Environment Committee is holding a public hearing on Monday, March 17th. We ask you to submit testimony for the bills outlined below. It's important that we remind our legislators that environmental regulations are important to Connecticut's citizens. 
Environment Public Hearing: Monday, March 17th at 10:00 AM in Room 2B at the state Legislative Office building. Also available on YouTube Live. 


CTLCV will be testifying in SUPPORT of these bills on the AGENDA:

• HB 6229 AN ACT CONCERNING A REDUCTION OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS AND POLYSTYRENE WASTE.
  • Purpose: To reduce the production of single-use plastics and polystyrene waste in the state.
  • Talking Points: 
    • Plastic pollution is a growing threat to our health, wildlife, and the environment. Microplastics are in all humans, but scientists are still studying their effects.
    • Polystyrene contains a likely carcinogen and never fully breaks down, turning into harmful microplastics. The EU has banned it—we should too. Connecticut’s children shouldn’t be eating from toxic trays.
    • Plastic waste forms massive garbage patches in the ocean, killing fish, turtles, and marine mammals that mistake it for food. In Connecticut, plastic waste flows into our rivers and out into the Long Island Sound, negatively impacting ocean habitats. 
• HB 7174 AN ACT CONCERNING RIPARIAN BUFFERS AND ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL PROVISIONS.
  • Purpose: To establish protections for riparian buffer zones, protect fishways along certain water passages and require certain insurance surcharge fees for environmental measures.
  • Talking Points: 
    • HB 7174 adds riparian buffers to Connecticut’s laws, filling a gap in our environmental protections. Connecticut is the only New England state without explicit safeguards for these natural buffers with many benefits to environmental health.
    • They reduce flooding and protect communities from extreme weather, like the devastating Naugatuck Valley floods in August.
    • They improve water quality by filtering pollutants and stabilizing stream banks.
    • They balance environmental protection with property rights by promoting responsible land use.
    • Natural buffers are an efficient and affordable tool, offering protection at little to no cost compared to expensive engineered solutions.

CTLCV will be testifying in OPPOSITION of this bill:

• HB 6249 AN ACT LIMITING APPEALS UNDER THE CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT.
  • Purpose: To limit who can take an appeal under CEPA for certain residential building permits.
  • Talking Points: 
    • HB 6249 represents a major rollback of environmental protections enshrined in the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), which has served as a critical tool for public accountability in environmental decision-making.
    • This bill weakens the public trust doctrine, which has protected Connecticut’s natural resources for decades by ensuring that concerned citizens and organizations can intervene in cases where the environment is at risk.
    • The bill drastically limits who can intervene in administrative or judicial proceedings related to residential building permit applications, including a vast majority of concerned citizens, environmental advocates, and local community groups who have historically played a key role in protecting public resources.
    • Low-income communities and marginalized populations—who are often disproportionately affected by pollution and overdevelopment—would have fewer avenues to protect their health and well-being.
    • Weakening CEPA in this way signals to developers that Connecticut is willing to sacrifice environmental oversight for expediency. It opens the door for future rollbacks on environmental protections, including in commercial and industrial developments.

Register to Testify
​Submit Written Testimony
Watch LIVE

You must register to testify for the Environment Public Hearing no LATER than 3 PM, Sunday, March 2nd. Submit written testimony using this On-line Testimony Submission Form. The speaker order will be posted on the day before the hearing on the CT General Assembly website at 6 PM. Any written testimony submitted before the meeting will be published in time for the hearing. Learn more about Testifying at Public Hearings on the CGA website.
 ​

This is a critical week for environmental legislation, and your voice is needed more than ever! SB 647 is a devastating attack on clean energy and energy efficiency in Connecticut.


If passed, it would eliminate funding for energy efficiency programs, the CT Green Bank, heat pump incentives, and EV infrastructure. It would also divert funds meant for renewables toward fossil fuels, weakening support for true clean energy.


Here are a few talking points we recommend using to take action: 

• Connecticut’s Public Benefits Charge (PBC) funds vital energy efficiency programs that help lower costs for residents across the state. Fact sheet. 
• SB 647 threatens consumer protections, dismantles affordable energy programs, and makes it harder for residents to pay their energy bills.
• Tell legislators you want clean energy programs to remain fully funded and intact through the PBC. 
• How much funding from these programs came to your town last year? Find out here (page 16). 

We need a massive wave of opposition to stop this bill. Here’s how you can help:
✅ Show Up & Make Some Noise - Join us at 10 AM on March 6, LOB 2nd Floor Atrium. A strong crowd will send a powerful message.

✅ Submit Written Testimony – It’s quick and easy! Simply state your opposition and why clean energy matters to you. Need a place to start? Use the talking points above.

✅ Sign Up to Testify – You can testify via Zoom or in person. Your voice matters!

✅ Contact Your Legislators – Call or email them today. If they’re on the Energy & Technology Committee, contacting them is crucial.

Register to Testify
​Submit Written Testimony
​Watch Public Hearing LIVE

​SB 647 would gut climate progress, kill jobs, and hurt struggling families. We must stop it. Take action now!

You must register to testify for the Energy & Technology Public Hearing NO LATER than 3 PM, Wednesday, March 5th. Submit written testimony using this On-line Testimony Submission Form. View the full Public Hearing Agenda here. 

 Contact our office at (860) 236-5442 to let us know if you need more information. 

Don't forget, we post all of our watched bills to our Watchlist page.

LCV 2024 National Environmental Scorecard Shows Connecticut Delegation Championed Our Environment, Fought Extremism and Chaos

Hartford, CT – Today, Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) released the Connecticut delegation’s scores for the League of Conservation Voters’ 2024 National Environmental Scorecard, highlighting our state’s leaders and their work to protect our environment despite the extremism and chaos from anti-environmental members of Congress. 
Since 1970, LCV’s Scorecard has been the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of members of Congress. It is available for download in English here, in Spanish here, and online in both languages at scorecard.lcv.org. 

The 2024 Scorecard shows that our state’s delegation fought back against attacks on our democracy and environmental protections. In stark contrast to Connecticut’s members of Congress, for the second year in a row, extreme Republicans in the House of Representatives embraced chaos. They pushed messaging bills and radical amendments on government funding that were so harmful their own leadership pulled them on more than one occasion — resulting in the least productive Congress in recent history.

Connecticut’s delegation stood up for our values, voting against cuts to clean energy investments and a House Republican agenda that catered to Big Polluters and corporate interests. Despite intentional gridlock caused by the most extreme members of the House, our senators continued to confirm strong, well-qualified federal judges, more than any other president and Senate in a recent four-year period. 

“Connecticut residents should be proud to have leaders who stand up against big polluters and attacks on our environment - and consistently have the scores to show for it,” said Lori Brown, CTLCV Executive Director. “Despite this administration trying to ban clean energy, raising energy costs for everyday people, we know that our federal lawmakers are working every day to ensure Connecticut a sustainable future. We know the stakes are high. Here at home, we are fighting to pass major climate legislation in Hartford this session that fosters that future of public health, clean energy & conservation. At the same time, we need our elected leaders to keep fighting for everyone in our state.”

“2024 saw the most extreme members of the House Republicans again manufacturing wasteful, cruel chaos at the expense of the health and safety of our environment, our democracy, and our economy,” said LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “Unfortunately, we must look at 2024’s mostly fruitless attempts to provide more giveaways to Big Oil and other polluters while leaving communities across the country less safe as a trial run for what Trump and his captured Congressional leadership will do in 2025.” 

For the third year, the 2024 Scorecard highlights the leadership of the Tri-Caucus. Leadership of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) scored an average of 97% on the 2024 Scorecard. These champions in Congress led and supported many of the climate, conservation, environmental justice, and equitable democracy bills and initiatives in 2024, in addition to helping to educate constituents and connect communities to the transformational investments within the affordable clean energy plan. 

This year, Connecticut faced catastrophic floods, a result of increasingly chaotic weather patterns. We know if we do not protect the progress we have made and keep working in our own communities, these problems will only get worse for Connecticut residents. This year, the 2024 Scorecard includes eight Senate votes, half of which were confirmations of qualified, diverse judges and other nominees and half were attacks on environmental protections. In the House, LCV scored 33 votes, 14 of which were poison pill policy amendments on government funding bills or the extreme underlying bills themselves, two of which were using or further weaponizing the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to block environmental safeguards, and the rest undermined programs and laws that advance a safe climate, environment, and democracy.  

The full delegation’s scores for 2024 are:
Senator Blumenthal - 100% 
Senator C. Murphy - 100%
Representative Larson, J. - 94%
Representative Courtney - 97%
Representative DeLauro - 100%
Representative Himes - 94%
Representative Hayes - 100%


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.

How to Fight Back: Strategies to fight the national funding freeze w/ House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rep. Rosa DeLauro

Monday, February 24 | 8PM | Virtual
​Event organized by: League of Conservation Voters & Climate Action Campaign
​
With the current chaos of the Trump Administration raging all around us, many of us are wondering what we can do to help fight back. Join CTLCV, LCV & Climate Action Campaign, with House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rep. Rosa DeLauro this Monday to discuss the Trump Administration’s egregious attacks on climate and democracy via the national funding freeze.
This unconstitutional funding freeze is harming everyday people nationwide and it is critical that activists like you and me mobilize to fight back. Join us to hear how you can contribute to the fight, and how uplifting real stories of the human consequences of the freeze helps Members of Congress to push back.
There will be a Q&A with Rep. DeLauro, so submit your questions when you register or come with some prepared!

The General Assembly’s Energy & Technology Committee is holding a public hearing on Thursday, February 27th. Your testimony is needed in support of energy efficiency. 
Energy & Technology Public Hearing: Thursday, February 27 at 10:30 AM in Room 2E at the state Legislative Office building. Also available on YouTube Live. 

CTLCV will be testifying in support of this bill on the AGENDA:

• SB 1352 AN ACT PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
  • Purpose: To (1) amend certain energy and water efficiency standards, (2) require a study of certain energy and water efficiency standards, (3) require the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to initiate a docket to examine the future of natural gas in the state, (4) establish programs to incentivize the development of thermal energy networks, (5) increase electric and gas grid reliability and reduce electric and gas demand, and (6) incentivize the adoption of heat pumps and solar canopies.
  • We recommend reviewing this testimony submitted by Shannon Luan at Conservation Law Foundation. We appreciate their dedication to this work.
  • For more information on these topics, see our related briefing papers:  
    • Thermal Energy Networks
    • Heat Pumps
    • Solar Canopies
    • Efficient Buildings

Register to Testify
​Submit Written Testimony
Watch LIVE

You must register to testify for the E&T Public Hearing no LATER than 3 PM, Wednesday, February 26th. Submit written testimony using this On-line Testimony Submission Form. The speaker order will be posted on the day before the hearing on the CT General Assembly website at 6 PM. Any written testimony submitted before the meeting will be published in time for the hearing. Learn more about Testifying at Public Hearings on the CGA website.

Today, Marissa Gillett’s renomination is on track to advance following an affirmative vote by the Legislative and Executive Nominations Committee, following an over 5-hour testimony, where she faced rigorous questioning from legislators. Her reappointment is especially critical at a time when corporate profits continue to be prioritized at the expense of ratepayers and conservation efforts. The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) supports Chairman Gillett as a qualified leader to continue fighting back against utility companies and efforts to weaken PURA’s authority.
​
Lori Brown, CTLCV Executive Director, states, “Marissa Gillett’s testimony today was nothing short of extraordinary. She was questioned for hours, with legislators nitpicking every detail of PURA’s work, her leadership as chair, the ins and outs of how utilities operate, and even her personal decision-making. Many legislators voiced their frustrations with high rates, and Marissa responded to each concern with clarity, providing well-reasoned explanations. The utility regulation process is intensely complex, and it’s natural for legislators to seek someone to blame when they are receiving a high volume of complaints. But Marissa’s answers reflected her deep understanding of the system and reaffirmed that PURA is working tirelessly to protect ratepayers. Her ability to handle such intense scrutiny and provide clear, accurate answers demonstrates the exceptional leadership she brings to PURA. We also want to recognize Co-Chair Senator Duff’s leadership throughout this process, supporting Chairman Gillett’s hard work on behalf of ratepayers and a sustainable energy future.”