Earth Day Means Time for Action

Earth Day in Connecticut 2009

When Earth Day was founded in 1970, it was done with the expressed goal of raising awareness and appreciation for our planet’s environment, with the ultimate goal of creating a healthier, more sustainable future. Even though we have made great strides, it is clear we can do more in our state government to protect the environment. We need a comprehensive environmental vision for Connecticut that makes solid investments to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere by lowering the amount of fossil fuels we burn. We need to step up, not decrease, our investment in the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund that acts as an economic stimulator and helps reduce energy consumption among our residential and business customers. And we cannot shy away from our commitment to acquire more of our electric power through clean and renewable fuels. That's why, despite these challenging budget times, we need leaders in Connecticut who will stand up and fight for the full funding of the Clean Energy Fund.

At the same time, we must be vigilant and protect our fragile ecosystems from the destructive power of suburban sprawl and from disastrous developments that can wreak havoc on our quality of life. I was pleased with two recent developments in this area. The US Army Corps of Engineers has now selected Cucia Park as its preferred site for placing the Army Reserve Training base in Middletown. This former industrial site will be put to good use to improve our military preparedness and homeland security while avoiding the destruction of more pristine farmland. Another development that is good news for Connecticut's environment and particularly the sensitive fisheries of Long Island Sound was the U.S. Commerce Department's rejection of an appeal by Broadwater Energy to build an enormous floating Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal in the waters between Connecticut and Long Island. This project was ill-conceived from the start and posed significant environmental and security risks and I am confident the rejection of Broadwater's appeal means the project is dead once and for all.

Lastly, on Earth Day last week I called on the General Assembly to pass House Bill # 6644. If enacted, this legislation will do a great deal towards helping to make the work of the Secretary of the State’s office much more environmentally sustainable. Simply put, the business side of the Secretary of the State’s office is going green in a major way that will dramatically improve customer service, cut expenses, modernize and streamline our operations and most importantly: eliminate over 2 tons of paper waste every year by requiring over 300,000 business in Connecticut to file their annual reports with my office online. It is simple steps like this that we need across state government in order to slow the effects of global warming, cut down on waste, and save taxpayer money.

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