RELEASE: Climate Bill HB 5004 Passes the Connecticut State House

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