Beyond Gas, Clean Energy, & Climate

• To address climate change Sierra Club Connecticut opposes gas expansion and advocates for deployment of clean energy. Here are some of the areas we are taking action to reduce the use of fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to clean energy:

  • Connecticut Must Lead on Climate! Sierra Club Connecticut, alongside a dozen organizations, is calling on Governor Lamont to take bold and urgent administrative action to address the climate crisis. You can still send your message here.

  • Updating Connecticut’s Energy Efficiency program to end rebates for fossil fuel equipment and appliances. Connecticut’s Energy Efficiency Board (EEB) is developing its 2022-2024 plan for the next 3 years of the program.  The EEB draft plan continues subsidies for gas appliances and equipment. Sierra Club is calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, an increase in heat pump incentives and prioritizing equity in the energy efficiency plan. In late September, the EPA removed gas appliances from its 2022 ENERGY STAR Most Efficient designation. The EEB plan will next go to the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for a hearing where we will continue to advocate for an end to fossil fuel subsidies/incentives.  We also joined allies in a letter to DEEP advocating for robust energy efficiency workforce development plans, as workforce shortages are creating delays in energy efficiency services.

  • ​Opposition to New Fossil Fuel Power Plants: Sierra Club Connecticut is actively opposing a brand new 650 megawatt fossil fuel power plant in Killingly and 375 megawatts in Middletown. On September 28 , the Connecticut Supreme Court released a decision in support of the CT Siting Council’s approval of Killingly without all the permits in place. The decision does indicate that the 2.8 mile pipeline to fuel the plant must go before the Siting Council. Sierra Club has submitted 4 separate comments to DEEP (here, here, here, and here) outlining environmental concerns regarding the pipeline and urging rejection of the pipeline proposal. 

  • End Environmental Racism: A Climate Emergency.  Sierra Club CT, alongside climate justice allies,  organized two events anti-racist, climate movement building events on September 18 and October 30.  Hartford Courant coverage of the Sept, 18 event is here.

  • Air quality monitoring/citizen science: Sierra Club members are engaging in citizen air quality monitoring. If you want to monitor your air, or have mad data crunching skills, we are looking for you! Contact Martha.​

  • Comprehensive building retrofit program for low-income housing - Sierra Club Connecticut, working with allies including Efficiency for All which leads equity in energy efficiency work, won passage of Public Act 21-48, a groundbreaking building retrofit program for low-income housing. On October 20, we participated in a CT Renews meeting about implementation with DEEP.​

  • Ending Connecticut’s Gas Expansion Plan: Sierra Club continues to participate in PURA Docket 13-06-02RE05, Investigation of Connecticut’s Local Distribution Companies Proposed Expansion Plans to Comply with Connecticut’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy—Program Review. This gas expansion plan has come under scrutiny in the press as well with this article in the Hartford Courant. The response of decision makers was covered in this article, and the Attorney General requested an investigation of the marketing of the program. A final recommendation from PURA’s investigative staff to the Commissioners is expected in December 2021; Sierra Club is advocating for an end to the plan. See this article in Energy News Network for further reading.​

Zero Waste: 

• Sierra Club CT is working with allies led by CT Coalition for Environmental Justice to oppose trash incineration and to implement Zero Waste policies.  We are working with residents  in Bristol to fight the proposal to burn medical waste in their Covanta trash incinerator. They have formed Bristol Residents for Clean Air, held public meetings on the issue and testified at Covanta’s required hearing. In Putnam, we are supporting efforts alongside Save the Quiet Corner and other allies to stop the expansion of the existing trash incinerator ash landfill. On October 15, we submitted these comments on the wastewater discharge permit. We are also planning webinars for the Fall on plastic pollution and EPR in packaging.

Ready for 100​

• Local campaigns for 100% clean and renewable energy: Teams in four Connecticut towns (Hartford, Milford,  West Hartford and Windsor) are actively working to transition their communities to 100% clean and renewable energy. The Ready for 100 Hartford  campaign is working with Trinity College Action Lab on Energy Burden; they are currently doing outreach to learn how energy burden impacts community members. In September and October, RF100 Milford participated in 2 local events. On October 6, the West Hartford Ready for 100 team marched in the Park Road Parade advocating for electric lawn care. RF100 Windsor participated in the town’s Chili Challenge with a tasty vegan option. It spoke in favor of the town’s Clean Energy Task Force recommendations on October 18th, specifically in setting clean energy goals and hiring an energy manager.

Clean Transportation​

• Electric Vehicle  Policy: Sierra Club is working with allies to advocate for policies that promote EV charging, fleet transition, rebates and more. Sierra Club Connecticut filed these comments to the CT Department of Transportation (DOT) on October 15 on the State Rail Plan advocating for electrification, expansions, and improvements to rail in our state.  DOT is in the process of developing the Statewide Freight Plan; Sierra Club will monitor and provide input into that process as well advocating for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the freight plan.

Land & Water​

• Remington Woods: ​Sierra Club Connecticut’s Save Remington Woods campaign aims to protect Remington Woods from development and to be preserved in its entirety. Remington Woods is a 422 acre forest in Bridgeport and Stratford. The Bridgeport Planning Department recently released proposed Zoning Maps that rezone Remington Woods as residential office center (RX2) and industrial use (I) space (from current industrial use). We want Remington Woods zoned as a Park!

  • A public hearing will take place on November 16 at 6 pm via Zoom​. See here for more and for how to weigh in to protect Remington Woods. Sign the petition to Save Remington Woods here.

Insure Our Future​

• Sierra Club is partnering with CCAG and the Insure Our Future campaign to urge the Connecticut insurance industry to stop investing in and underwriting fossil fuels.  On October 7, we participated in a press conference in front of The Hartford to highlight the release of a report from Desmog that found twenty percent of directors at US insurance companies have worked in the fossil fuel industry. On October 13, we will participated in a panel on Climate Change and Social Justice hosted by the Connecticut Department of Insurance.

Legislative Session​

• The Chapter’s Legislative Committee has begun to meet in preparation for the 2022 session of the Connecticut General Assembly. We are in the process of identifying legislative opportunities consistent with our Chapter priorities that have the greatest opportunity for success given the short legislative session.   We are considering opportunities for renewable energy, limiting fossil fuels/climate, environmental justice, transportation, pollution and waste, and wildlife.  Contact Art for more information.​

Wildlife​

• The Wildlife Committee has prepared its priorities for the legislative session. It’s not too soon to reach out to your legislators to protect wildlife. See more here.