September 3rd Updates

September 3, 2020

I want to pass along some important information regarding unemployment insurance, as well as updates on the hearings involving Connecticut power companies and the state's travel advisory.

Energy and Technology Committee Hearing on Utility Companies
 
The Energy and Technology Committee will hold another hearing Tuesday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m. on the response times of utility companies during the recent power outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias.
 
The Committee asks that those who wish to provide testimony during the virtual hearing to follow the following instructions:
 
"People who wish to testify via Zoom must register using the On-line Testimony Registration Form [found HERE]. Registration will CLOSE on Monday, September 7th at 12:00 p.m. Speaker order of approved registrants will be posted on the Energy and Technology Committee website. If you do not have internet access, you may provide testimony via telephone. To register to testify by phone, call the Phone Registrant Line – 860-240-0430 to leave your contact information. Please email written testimony in Word or PDF format to ETTestimony@cga.ct.gov.
 
Speakers will be strictly limited to 3 minutes of oral testimony. The Committee encourages witnesses to submit a written statement and to condense oral testimony to a summary of that statement."
 
Unemployment Insurance Benefits
 
On Tuesday, the Connecticut Department of Labor announced that a new program which will give some eligible unemployment insurance claimants an additional $300 per week in their benefits will go into effect mid-September.
 
For information on this new program and eligibility, please click HERE.
 
2 States Added to CT Travel Advisory
 
Governor Lamont's Office has released the following update on Connecticut's travel advisory:
 
"The regional travel advisory between Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York that directs incoming travelers from states with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period was updated on Tuesday to include Alaska and Montana on the list of impacted locations. No areas were removed in this week’s update.
 
The quarantine applies to any person traveling into Connecticut from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a 10 percent test positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average."
 
Click HERE to read more about the travel advisory announcement.
 
Lowering Your Energy Bill
 
A resource that offers potential relief to your energy bills is weatherizing your home, and now is the perfect time to check-in on how efficient your homes are to hopefully lower your energy costs.
 
The Home Energy Solutions (HES) program, funded by a small fee on our electric bills, is offering FREE home energy audits until the end of 2020 if you have not had an audit in the past 36 months. This is a revised program designed to make up for the time lost this year because of the pandemic, and includes new safety procedures to cope with COVID-19. One of them is a virtual pre-audit by phone.
 
At the end of the visit, contractors will recommend additional energy-saving opportunities, and provide renters and homeowner’s with a report detailing the home’s performance before and after the service.
 
You can apply for the free home audit by clicking HERE, or by calling 1(877) WISE-USE (9473-873).