Moira Rader

You may sense an overarching theme in this e-newsletter. As April is Earth Month and April 22 is designated as Earth Day, I wanted to take this opportunity to focus on Earth Day events happening in our district and the environmental issues we are working on in the legislature. As a coastal community, we are constantly witnessing the impacts of global warming and how our everyday behaviors are impacting our environment. I hope you’ll take the opportunity to join in some of the wonderful and informative Earth Day events taking place this weekend (and next) throughout Guilford and Branford. We can all have a positive impact on our planet and sustain our treasured community for generations to come. 
 
As a member of the Environment Committee, I hope you will always share your ideas and advocacy with me around environmental initiatives. Together, we can really make impactful progress! 

With gratitude,

Conservation groups, local organizations and religious congregations will have tables illustrating how they are responding to the climate crisis. State Senator Christine Cohen and I will be on hand to provide updates on climate legislation at this year's General Assembly. There will be live music throughout the afternoon.

The first Earth Day, held on April 22, 1970, brought 20 million Americans - 10% of the population in 1970 - into the streets to protest the life-threatening poisoning of our land, water, and air. In 2024, as we gather on the town green to honor the environmental legacy and spirit of that first Earth Day, we continue to face the daunting environmental crisis of global warming.

This year, on April 21, our shoreline community will have a variety of opportunities to share with one another, and with the many conservation-oriented groups in attendance, about our conservation, mitigation, and adaptation efforts in this time of climate crisis. 

The rain date for this event is April 28.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide the community with an opportunity to learn about and provide input on the final strategies to be included in the Route 146 Corridor Management Plan and preview the Draft Plan Document. The plan strategies are intended to address issues including roadside safety, flooding, bicycle and pedestrian mobility, and speed management while preserving the unique historical and environmental qualities of the corridor. The meeting will allow an open discussion of any views and comments concerning the plan development and proposed strategies. A Q&A session will immediately follow the presentation. Public input is encouraged.

The purpose of the project is to develop a Corridor Management Plan (CMP) for CT Route 146 in Branford and Guilford. The purpose of creating a CMP is to review the Route 146 corridor and how to protect its many historical, cultural, and environmental resources. The CMP will balance caring for these important resources with providing a safe roadway for all travelers and respecting the desires of the community, residents, and local businesses. It will also look at ways to make the corridor more resilient—more prepared for climate risks like flooding.

Right-of-way impacts associated with this planning project are not anticipated.

Additional information about this planning project can be found at https://route146cmp.com/. Members of the public can submit comments and questions during the two-week public comment period following the meeting. Please direct comments and questions by May 7 to: DOT.Route146@ct.gov and 860-594-2020 or fill out the feedback form on the project website at https://route146cmp.com/get-involved.html.

More information can be found HERE.

I'm proud to co-sponsor this bill and be a key member working on the details of the bill language. Together with other members of the Environment Committee, we are working collaboratively to ensure a strong, impactful, and successful bill.

1) Declaring a climate crisis and updating the Global Warming Solutions Act to make Connecticut's greenhouse gas emissions targets more in line with other states in the region;

2) Supporting businesses and towns that engage in clean economy sectors or employ environmentally sustainable practices by: creating tax credits and incentives, developing a pilot incubator program for entrepreneurs in green technologies, and creating a sustainable municipal purchasing model;

3) Developing plans for transitioning to a clean economy through such measures as expanding solar and heat pumps, requiring electrification of new state buildings, expanding workforce training, and creating a consumer’s energy bill of rights, and

4) Supporting nature-based solutions, such as protecting old-growth forests, controlling invasive species, restoring coastal habitats, and increasing carbon sequestration.

With this bill, we're saying that sustainability is not only the right thing to do but also the smart, economically competitive thing to do. I'm grateful to our Democratic Leadership for recognizing the importance of climate action, to all the advocates who have worked hard with us on this bill, to business leaders who support it, to my legislative colleagues who agree we need to take act you now and to the young people who have stepped up to advocate and participate in the development of this critical legislation.