The latest reports on climate change are alarming. 

 

The recently released reports from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the National Climate Assessment from the U.S. Global Change Research Program have made clear that swift action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to avoid climate catastrophe.  Additionally, gas explosions in Massachusetts in 2018 are a wake-up call that old, leaky infrastructure poses real danger.

 

What should be done?

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End Gas Expansion

Place a moratorium on new or expanded gas infrastructure including pipelines, compressor stations and power plants.  Building new infrastructure locks Connecticut into shale gas use for the long-term.  It also helps fracking corporations to easily transport gas through Connecticut in order to export overseas.  By expanding infrastructure, our state is enabling fracking, exports, and the continued destruction of our environment.

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End Ratepayer Subsidy of Gas Conversions

Connecticut's Comprehensive Energy Strategy allows utilities to collect funds from ratepayers to offset the costs of converting new customers to gas.  Over ten years methane is 100 times worse than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Ten years is all the time we have to prevent global climate catastrophe. State policy increasing the use of methane is irresponsible.  Electric heat pump technology is far more efficient and would have a measurable impact on our efforts to reduce climate destroying pollution.

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Fix Leaks and Increase Safety Measures

Sierra Club Connecticut's Hartford Gas Leaks study shows that methane gas is leaking out of our aging infrastructure at much higher rates than are reported.  We must require utilities to conduct ongoing monitoring and mitigation of gas leaks from existing infrastructure, and to require utilities to repair gas pipes when 1% or more methane is found to be leaking (from current 3%), and to make those repairs using the funds already collected for that purpose.  We should also require utilities to supply municipalities with training and equipment for gas explosion emergencies.

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For more information, contact Martha Klein at martha.klein@sierraclub.org.

 

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