Taking Climate Change Seriously

May 3, 2022

Dear Neighbor,

Protecting our environment and addressing climate change are challenges that affect all of us. Prior to the start of the 2022 legislative session, I pledged to support policies that would help cut our carbon footprint, promote environmental justice, and protect the health of Connecticut residents.
 
Our state budget delivers on policies that, without a doubt, are steps forward to achieving our environmental goals, including better health outcomes for all residents.

Transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions have contributed to worsening air quality leading to higher rates of illnesses like asthma. Investing in our transportation sector and encouraging wide-scale electric vehicle distribution will greatly contribute to reducing these emissions and ultimately, improving air quality - SB 4  invests in transitioning to electric and zero-emission state vehicles, school buses, transit buses, and much more.
Additional budget investments for a cleaner environment include:
  • New incentives for consumer and commercial electric vehicles
  • Establishing the Office of Aquatic Invasive Species
  • More sophisticated testing of shellfish
  • Repopulating native salmon and eel populations 
  • New waste management programming
  • Increasing access to rebates and vouchers to buy electric vehicles through programs like CHEAPR
  • Equalizing the registration fee for electric vehicles with all other motor vehicles and establishing a voucher program for the purchase of electric bicycles
  • Requiring the teaching of climate change in the public school curriculum
You Reducing toxic air pollutants and setting emissions control measures will help us and future generations breathe easier by bringing Connecticut to the level of other states that have strong clean air policies in place.
If you have any strong thoughts, please feel free to contact me and if you would like to sign-up for my newsletters please click here.