Announcing CCE’s 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champions

Celebrate CT’s elected officials that have led the way in protecting our environment and public health!

CCE is excited to announce our 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champions! We take pride in recognizing legislators who have demonstrated a real commitment to protecting our precious natural resources and our health. This year, we are proud to announce four legislative champions who have led the fight for clean air, clean water and environmental justice in Connecticut:

State Senator Christine Cohen (12th Senate Dist.) is the Senate Chair of the Environment Committee and the lead advocate for progressive environmental policy in the Senate. She led the fight on several important victories in Connecticut in 2021, including modernizing the CT Bottle Bill, restricting toxic PFAS in food packaging, and passing critical updates to CCE’s signature “Sewage Overflow Right-to-Know” law.

State Senator Matthew Lesser (9th Senate Dist.) is a long-time supporter of strong environmental protections and has helped advance multiple CCE priorities, including a bill to ban toxic fracking waste coming into Connecticut. In 2021, Sen. Lesser spearheaded the effort to pass first-in-the-nation legislation to combat climate change by divesting Connecticut’s insurance accounts from firms that insure the fossil fuel industry. This makes Connecticut a national leader in efforts to reduce climate emissions, discourage investment in dirty fossil fuels and promote clean energy technology.

State Representative Brandon McGee (5th House Dist.) is a lifelong community advocate, fighting for the rights of low- and moderate-income families across Connecticut. He understands the intersection of environmental justice issues and health inequities that impact our most vulnerable populations. In 2021, he facilitated community conversations on important environmental justice issues, was an outspoken supporter of the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI), and he established an Equity Commission to study the impacts of racism on public health.

State Representative Jonathan Steinberg (136th House Dist.) is the House Chair of the Public Health Committee. Rep. Steinberg has been a strong supporter of Connecticut’s environment through the years, having led the fight to pass a comprehensive State Water Plan for Connecticut in 2019. As chair of Public Health, Rep. Steinberg was the first to introduce legislation restricting toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in food packaging and prohibiting the use of PFAS-treated firefighting foams that contaminate our water and threaten our health.

Protecting our environment is a full-time job. These legislators have proven themselves to be steadfast advocates for their communities and our shared environment. CCE applauds these lawmakers for their efforts to safeguard our state’s air and water resources, address health inequities, and promote good environmental policy in Connecticut. 

These legislators are true leaders in our state, and we are proud to present them with our 2021 Connecticut Environmental Champion Award!

Thank you for taking a moment to recognize our champions. Together, we make a difference!

Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE

Connecticut Needs a Cleaner, More Equitable Transportation System

Image by Alexander Grishin from Pixabay

Tell lawmakers in Hartford to cut transportation emissions that harm our health and contribute to climate change!

The impacts of climate change are increasingly apparent in Connecticut and across the globe. Climate change is increasing the severity of hurricanes, drought, heat-related deaths and illnesses, and causing rising sea levels that inundate our coastal communities. Without immediate action, climate change will cause devastating effects on Connecticut’s infrastructure, economy, public health, and way of life.

The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Connecticut, accounting for roughly 38% of GHG emissions generated in our state. We cannot address the climate crisis without cutting pollution from the transportation sector!

Transportation Emissions Threaten Public Health in CT:

• CT ranks as the 10th worst state for smog, which can cause premature death, aggravated asthma, and increased respiratory symptoms.

• CT’s asthma rate is worse than the national average: 11% of children and 10.5% of adults have asthma in CT.

• Rising temperatures due to climate change are exacerbating these health risks, by increasing smog and prolonging dangerous air conditions.

• Tailpipe emissions led to an estimated 367 premature deaths in CT in one year.

CT Must Take Action to Slash Emissions from the Transportation Sector 

Under the proposed Transportation and Climate Initiative Program (TCI-P), CT would cap carbon pollution from transportation fuels and invest in our communities to provide better, cleaner, and safer transportation options. In less than a decade, TCI-P will guarantee at least a 26% reduction in carbon emissions from transportation. The TCI-P would also require oil companies to pay for the pollution their products cause, which will allow for needed investments in a clean transportation and public health improvements. A minimum of 50% of revenue will be invested in communities that are overburdened by air pollution or underserved by the transportation system. Projects that the TCI program include, but are not limited to:

✔︎ Improving/expanding public transit in urban, suburban, and rural areas

✔︎ Converting school and transit buses and diesel truck fleets to cleaner electric models

✔︎ Promoting safer, more bike-friendly and walkable communities

✔︎ Providing rebates to make electric vehicles more affordable

✔︎ Expanding EV charging infrastructure

✔︎ Expanding local air quality monitoring

Email your State Legislators and Governor Lamont today and tell them it’s time to take action on climate change, by supporting TCI during the upcoming legislative session

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,
Your Friends at CCE