From Save the Sound:
New Haven, CT. – The 2024 state legislative session followed the pattern of recent years, with laudable passage of multiple policies to protect public health, clean water, and habitats contrasting with yet another year of failure to take serious action on climate change. Bills to advance environmental justice also died on the vine.
Another Year With No Serious Climate Change Action
The session’s most important climate bill got through one chamber and not the other, a microcosm of the half-measures Connecticut’s government has taken on this crisis.
This session was additionally notable for several serious attacks on Connecticut residents’ environmental rights, the most sweeping of which was not called for a vote after widespread outcry.
Many important bills originated in the Environment Committee, and we thank co-chairs Senator Rick Lopes and Representative Joe Gresko and vice-chairs Senator Jan Hochadel and Representative Christine Palm for their tireless efforts, along with every legislator, advocate, and Connecticut resident who has dedicated their time and energy over the last three months to ensuring a healthier and more just environment.
Below, Save the Sound policy experts respond to the outcomes of the session.
This release represents the best information available to us as of the midnight close of session; please find updated information on our blog in the coming days or reach out to arrange an interview with subject matter experts.
COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE
Momentum for climate action collapsed on the last day of session as House Bill 5004, the Connecticut Climate Protection Act, was not called for a vote in the Senate after passing the House 98-49 the week before. The bill was championed by Representative Christine Palm, garnered 71 co-sponsors, and was the top priority of the Connecticut Coalition for Climate Action.
“Appallingly, this session has turned out to be yet another failure for climate legislation and for Connecticut’s people, businesses, and future,” said Charles Rothenberger, climate and energy attorney with Save the Sound. “Only weeks after Connecticut released its latest greenhouse gas inventory report demonstrating that emissions are actually going up in some sectors, the state Senate failed to take up the session’s major climate bill. Where once we were a leader, we are now a laggard, watching impotently as our neighboring states adopt milestone policies commensurate to the threat that climate change poses. Connecticut cannot continue to allow itself to be held hostage to a vocal minority of climate change deniers that reject the science, reject the evidence of our own eyes, and reject the clear desire of Connecticut’s residents for meaningful action on climate. We can and must do better.”
PROTECTING OUR WATER
This session saw progress in legislation to protect Connecticut’s water and ecosystems and the health of its residents, with a major win in phasing out toxic PFAS chemicals.
Long Island Soundkeeper Bill Lucey said, “Connecticut pushed the national envelope by expanding the categories of products which will be banned from containing PFAS. Despite challenging disagreements between interested parties, full consensus was reached, and the bill cleared both chambers with unanimous votes—the kind of thing you love to see when public health is on the line! When the ban goes into full effect in 2028, there will be a tremendous drop in delivery of PFAS chemicals to Connecticut waters and our bodies. Save the Sound and Clean Water Action have been working on PFAS since 2019 and this bill is the culmination of that partnership.”
ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Legislation to address inequities in environmental permitting did not make it past the finish line this session. SB 198 was proposed to give residents the opportunity to weigh in on local development proposals for potentially hazardous facilities and other utility infrastructure.
“The General Assembly had a significant opportunity to advance environmental justice, and didn’t take it,” said Alex Rodriguez, environmental justice specialist for Save the Sound. “SB 198 would have required that a local resident of an area where a potentially hazardous project is proposed temporarily join the Connecticut Siting Council to weigh in on decisions that may impact the health of residents and the natural environment. We look forward to revisiting this effort with the General Assembly. It is a critical tool for ensuring a safe and healthy environment for communities that have been historically impacted by environmental racism.”
DEFENDING AGAINST ROLLBACKS AND HARM
“This session saw a disturbingly concerted movement to roll back core environmental protections for clean water and our most fragile resources, particularly the citizen suit provisions of the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) that have existed for more than 50 years,” said Roger Reynolds, senior legal director, Save the Sound. “Most troubling were provisions in House Bill 5475 limiting the public’s right to intervene in any residential permitting proceeding to raise environmental issues. This would have given a free pass for every profit-motivated housing developer to override long-standing environmental protections. Thanks to a huge effort from dedicated legislators, environmental organizations, land trusts, wetland agencies, water companies, municipalities, planners, and others the bill was halted in the final week of session. If we eliminate the public’s rights to intervene in development projects that threaten the environment, we will imperil our most fragile resources and sacrifice our public health and the natural places that make Connecticut special.”
Save the Sound deeply appreciates the hard work of legislators who championed these causes and defended environmental rights, including but hardly limited to the aforementioned leadership of the Environment Committee; Speaker of the House Matt Ritter and House Majority Leader Jason Rojas; Senators Saud Anwar, Christine Cohen, and John Fonfara; and Representatives Hector Arzeno, Aimee Berger-Girvalo, Aundre Bumgardner, Brandon Chaffee, Lucy Dathan, Mike Demicco, Eleni Kavros Degraw, Maria Horn, Dominique Johnson, Susan Johnson, David Michel, Patricia Bilie Miller, Mary Mushinsky, Christine Palm, John-Michael Parker, Robyn Porter, Moira Rader, Geraldo Reyes, and Jonathan Steinberg; and all the co-sponsors of HB 5004.
We urge Governor Lamont to promptly sign the public acts passed this session that will benefit the health of Connecticut residents, the vibrance of our region’s environment, and our collective future.
Nevertheless, this session ends with incredibly important business left undone. Save the Sound’s advocates, coalition partners, and thousands of members statewide will continue to be vigilant for attempts to undermine residents’ environmental rights, and to fight for the climate action and accountability that are essential to our state’s future.
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