Tuesday morning, September 9th, 2025, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) was proud to host “Sip & Celebrate Climate Action” with Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw (D-17). The event brought together Avon & Canton community members, advocates, and local leaders for an engaging conversation. 

As House Chair of the Planning and Development committee at the state legislature, Rep. Kavros DeGraw highlighted progress she championed on a variety of issues impacting the district and the state at large.  While the committee does not explicitly work on environmental legislation, she explained that there is quite a bit of overlap when it comes to thinking about the impact of climate change on the state’s future development. For example, she worked to ensure passage of the updated Plan of Conservation and Development (HJ-67), which centered on preparing for climate impacts. 

She also underscored the importance of transit-oriented communities (part of the vetoed HB 5002), a planning approach with many community benefits, such as reducing sprawl, air pollution and emissions. Among the session’s accomplishments, she celebrated the passage of Inland Wetlands Commission Training (Public Act No. 25-73), a measure to enhance training for town inland wetland commissioners that will strengthen local natural resources protections.  Her committee also passed legislation to enable solar installations on condos.

Attendees raised thoughtful questions on housing, waste reduction, composting, invasive species, and localized environmental actions. Throughout the session, Rep. Kavros DeGraw emphasized that good development planning is good for the environment, and environmental protection does not conflict with growth. She also stressed the importance of civic engagement, encouraging participants to stay in touch with their lawmakers to let them know what is important to the residents of their communities.

Looking ahead, she noted that a special legislative session is expected some time in October with action anticipated on affordable housing and adjustments to the state budget due to federal funding cuts.

CTLCV thanks Rep. Kavros DeGraw for her strong environmental leadership and all who joined us to help keep the momentum for climate action going.

Hartford, CT - This summer, as the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) and the CTLCV Education Fund celebrate 25 years of environmental advocacy, we are proud to welcome four new members to our Boards of Directors. Two new members have joined each organization, bringing fresh perspectives and deep expertise to help advance our mission at this milestone moment.
“It’s important that we continue to bring in fresh perspectives as we navigate both the challenges and opportunities ahead in Connecticut. I'm grateful for these new board members who have chosen to give their time to our community, organization, and state efforts.” says Mike Urgo, CTLCV President. 

The new board members are: 

• Brandalyn Fulton Williams (CTLCV)
• Tenaya Taylor (CTLCV)
• Earl Brecks (CTLCV Education Fund)
• Reggy Saint Fortcolin (CTLCV Education Fund)

Brandalyn Fulton Williams is a civic leader and communications strategist with a passion for equity in education and disability advocacy. She currently serves as Manager of Communications at Norwalk ACTS, where she drives public engagement and visibility for collective impact work. Brandalyn brings over a decade of experience in news media, production and academia, including 10 years as an adjunct professor at Purchase College. Her leadership includes service on the State Advisory Council for Special Education, the Policy & Advocacy Committee of the CT Cradle to Career Coalition, and various parent leadership groups across Norwalk. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in Theater & Design Production and Sociology. 


Tenaya Taylor is a Hartford-based social justice advocate and the Founder of the Nonprofit Accountability Group (NAG). Through NAG, Tenaya leads community-driven work in mutual aid, housing advocacy, environmental justice, and health equity, including campaigns for tenant rights and efforts to rehouse families. A Capital Community College graduate, Tenaya also writes regularly for CT Mirror Viewpoints and uses music as a form of activism, performing at festivals and infusing their lyrics with messages about justice and policy. Tenaya founded NAG in 2020 to meet urgent pandemic-era needs and continues to guide its expansion with a focus on empowering youth and sustaining grassroots change. 


Earl Brecks is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, specializing in accounting, process improvement and strategic program management. Throughout his career, Earl has been consistently recognized for driving impactful results with a thoughtful and collaborative approach toward problem solving. He now brings his wide array of skills to the CTLCV to aid in its continued success. Although now a long-time New Englander, Earl is a transplant from the greater St. Louis area and a proud graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, with degrees in both Accounting and Management. He lives in Cromwell with his wife Jennifer and their two sons, spending much of his leisure time coaching youth basketball and soccer.


Reggy Saint Fortcolin is a conservationist, community organizer, and food justice advocate working at the intersection of land access, food security, and environmental equity. He is the founder and Executive Director of Sovereign Land Trust, where he advances sustainable agriculture and generational land stewardship for marginalized communities. Reggy also leads statewide efforts like Fridgeport and the CT Food Sovereignty Collective, which provide direct food access to over 1,200 people each week. He has spearheaded food policy initiatives at the state level, including legislation to establish a Food and Nutrition Policy Analyst, and currently serves as Farm Bill Policy Lead for the New CT Farmers Alliance. Reggy is also a member of the CEEJAC Land Subcommittee and a founding member of the Liberated Land Cooperative. 

​Hartford, CT- The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, the state's leading environmental convener, released its annual Scorecard today. The Scorecard, which grades state senators and representatives on a 0% to 100% scale based on how they vote on important environmental legislation, has been an important tool for voters during the past 25 years. Holding legislators accountable on a variety of environmental issues, this year’s edition features a high level of engagement among freshmen legislators and illustrates the growing partisan divide over the funding and oversight related to environmental issues.

This year’s Scorecard graded votes on 23 environmental bills during this year's four-month legislative session. Two major bills scored that earned a high degree of public interest and engagement include HB 5004, which targets energy and emissions, and SB 9, which addresses municipal and state planning for climate resiliency. Lobby efforts and advocacy by CTLCV and its partners played a key role in helping to pass these and eight other pro-environment bills. The group was also able to help stop or amend all but one of the seven hostile bills. 50% of legislators received a rating of 90% or higher. In the previous scorecard, 54% of legislators achieved such a score indicating a sustained effort to advance environmental initiatives.  

Based on this year’s Scorecard, the League identified nine freshmen lawmakers who represent Connecticut’s newest upcoming champions and named 21 lawmakers as environmental champions this year. Representative John Michael Parker, the Democratic lawmaker from Connecticut’s 101st House District has received the group’s highest honor as the 2025 Key Environmental Champion.

CTLCV’s Executive Director, Lori Brown, says “Rep. John-Michael Parker has emerged as a true climate leader at the Capitol. As House Chair of the Environment Committee, he played a key role in passing HB 5004 and has been instrumental in advancing legislation that puts Connecticut on track to meet its climate goals. His collaborative approach and commitment to success make him our Key Environmental Champion this year.” 

While CTLCV is a nonpartisan organization, just one of the 21 champions is a member of the Republican Party. Senator Tony Hwang, the Republican Senator from Connecticut’s 28th District, has been a longtime ally on environmental issues and is the sole Republican to receive the group’s endorsement. 

In celebration of CTLCV’s 25th anniversary, the organization is on a mission to build bridges to conservative audiences. While concerns about regulations and spending remain, there are also opportunities for common ground. Environmentally responsible policies can lead to long-term savings in areas like waste management, healthcare, and energy—benefits that serve all communities across Connecticut. Board Chairman Joe McGee of Fairfield, on the board with the release of the first Scorecard 25 years ago says, “The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters was founded on a commitment to protect and conserve our natural resources and to fight for a healthy environment and healthy communities. Our founding Board Chairs, Julie Belaga, a Republican, and Russ Brenneman, a Democrat, knew how important it was to find common ground across the partisan divide. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, the urgency to address the challenges of climate change and a warming planet has become critical. It is our fervent hope and guiding principle that environmental solutions will be science-based and advanced after open, vigorous debate that respects different points of view. We invite Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, to advance Connecticut as a global leader in the fight to save our planet. Economic growth and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive. In fact, economic innovation that enhances our environment will be the foundation of the 21st-century economy. We believe common ground exists—and that people of goodwill can find it”. 

The public can read and download the 2025 Scorecard at www.ctlcv.org/scorecard. In addition to providing legislators’ scores, the Scorecard provides additional information about CTLCV’s priorities and the bills the group supported and opposed this year. Constituents can use the Scorecard to see where their state lawmakers stand on the issues they care about—and to follow up, whether to ask questions or say thank you. That’s what makes the Scorecard such a powerful accountability tool: it reminds legislators that their constituents are paying attention.