Every six years, Congress allocates hundreds of billions of dollars for transportation and infrastructure projects that shape our communities for generations. (Case in point: the dissection of Hartford and the riverfront by I-84 and I-91.) Our current $286 billion national transportation program expires in 2009.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, the next transportation authorization bill would distribute $450 billion in funds to states over six years to upgrade roads, bridges and transit systems, including $70 billion each year for highway and mass transit systems. Nearly a third (28%) of our greenhouse gas emissions comes from the transportation sector. But the US House of Representatives is unlikely to agree this summer about how to pay for that major transportation investment, disappointing state governments, transit agencies, construction companies, and advocates like CTLCV.
"If House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) has his way, the House this week will approve a $3 billion infusion for the ailing Highway Trust Fund before leaving town Friday. Doing so would head off a projected shortfall in the account that in mid-August would halt federal payments for highway projects — funds desperately needed by cash-starved states. Moreover, the gambit buys time for Oberstar to press his six-year transportation overhaul, also known as the highway bill, by throwing off a plan advancing in the Senate that would extend the current transportation law for 18 months beyond its Sept. 30 expiration."
CTLCV has signed on as a partner with Transportation for America to seize the opportunity to overhaul our transportation systems in a way that simultaneously reduces greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on foreign oil. Check out Transportation for America's website for more information, and stay tuned.
First it was Kristof on Colbert talking about endocrine disruptors in our water sources. Then Jon Stewart brought in Energy Secretary Steven Chu for a recent Daily Show episode.
DEP's Lynn Stoddard and the CT Science Center's Hank Gruner arranged for the July Climate Educators' meeting to be held yesterday at the Connecticut Science Center.
We started on the 6th floor in the 4-D Climate Theater, with a good, sheep-hosted short introductory video to the basics of climate change. (You'll have to go to find out what the 4th dimension is.)
Next, we checked out Energy City, one of many hands-on "exhibits," for a look at clean energy alternatives and options for more sustainable living.
Everything about the Science Center was impressive. The design is so well conceived, with every floor being light filled and showcasing views of the city to the west and the river, and everything else, to the east.
To boot, the level of intrigue was HIGH at the numerous hands-on experimentation stations, especially at the innovation and inventions exhibit. "Sun 3D" and "Dinosaurs Alive" are playing frequently at the Science Center's main theater. There's a good cafeteria, a gift shop (keep it in mind for kid birthday or holiday gift lists) and reasonably priced parking.
All in all, it's a terrific, educational family outing where you'll learn a lot about climate change, CT's natural history, and innovations for sustainable living.
About Us:The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters is a non-profit organization working to educate voters and elected leaders on state environmental issues.CTLCV (and CTLCV’s Education Fund) works with dozens of groups to develop and support good environmental policies at the state legislature.It publishes an annual environmental scorecard grading legislators on their environmental voting records, endorses candidates for state office who will make the environment a top priority, and helps to get conservation-minded people informed and involved.Please visit our websites at www.ctlcv.orgor www.conservationeducation.org
Internship Opportunities
Development Intern:
CTLCV seeks an energetic individual with excellent verbal and creative writing skills to assist in vital fundraising efforts. The intern will learn and hone highly marketable skills in the development and maintenance of the organization’s fundraising activities. The intern will help the Development Director on communications with previous and potential donors, look for opportunities to garner support for the organization, and assist in formulating and writing grant proposals.Competence in Microsoft Excel and experience with grant writing, database management, or working with non-profits is a plus.
Reports to: Development Director
Semester: Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Summer 2010
Education Level: Currently enrolled in a college or graduate school program
CTLCV seeks a self-motivated individual with exemplary skills in verbal and written communication and an interest in environmental policy to help CTLCV develop the annual Environmental Scorecard for the 2010 Connecticut legislative session. Prospective candidates should be prepared to directly communicate with legislators and special interest groups to identify, track and summarize legislation resulting from the spring legislative session.
Reports to: Executive Director
Semester: Spring 2010
Education Level: Currently enrolled in a college or graduate school program
CTLCV is seeking an individual with strong organizational skills to assist the organization in reaching out to candidates for state legislature prior to the 2010 elections. The intern will assist in the endorsement process of pro-environment candidates by contacting candidates, researching races, helping to distribute and get candidate questionnaires for review, and coordinate logistics of candidate surveys and interviews.A key responsibility will be to prepare materials for CTLCV board members reviewing candidates for possible endorsement.
Reports to: Executive Director
Semester:Spring and Summer 2010
Education Level: Currently enrolled in a college or graduate school program
The CTLCV is seeking an undergraduate student with exemplary research and writing skills to assist with the update of a briefing book about Connecticut’s environmental issues in relation to the development of law and advocacy at the state level. Prospective candidates should have excellent written communication skills, an interest in environmental issues, and a general understanding of the state political process.
Supervisor: Communications Director
Semester: Fall 09, Spring 10
Education Level: enrolled in a college or graduate school program, or law school program.
Member Outreach: CTLCV is seeking an energetic volunteer with an interest in state environmental issues to contact CTLCV members to talk with them about important state-level updates on energy, land-use, environmental justice, transportation, conservation, public health, recycling, and other environmental issues. Prospective candidates do not need to have an in-depth understanding of such issues, but should be available to come in and learn about them and talk with supporters three or four times a month as part of a new outreach effort. Ideal volunteer will enjoy conversing with our members and establish a personal connection with our organization and its members.
Annual Conference:CTLCV is seeking several volunteers to assist with our annual conference on Connecticut environmental policy (this year’s conference will be December 2, 2009). Tasks include contacting participants, helping with all event logistics, and assisting with the development and distribution ofmaterials. Volunteer efforts are vital to our mission of improving coordination and sharing of information on environmental policy between advocates and legislators prior to each state legislative session. Ideal volunteer should be well extremely well organized and enjoy public outreach.
Conferences, Fairs & Other Special Events:CTLCV is looking for an energetic volunteer with a passion for state environmental issues to seek out special events where CTLCV could have a presence, such as conferences, meetings, fairs, and other events, in order to promote our work and gain new members or volunteers. Interested individuals should help identify and participate in these events to promote CTLCV’s environmental work and educate the public on state environmental policy.
Anyone interested in volunteer opportunities should contact CTLCV Executive Director Lori Brown, at lori.brown@ctlcv.org or 860.236.5442.
by David Bingham, CTCLV Co-Chair (dbbingham@sbcglobal.net)
The Green Fund Bill, despite growing support in the legislature, nevertheless died in the Connecticut General Assembly's Finance Committee when it failed to be raised for a vote before the legislative deadline.
The Green Fund bill would have allowed municipalities, if they chose, to impose a conveyance fee on purchasers of real estate and use the revenue from the fee for conservation projects. The bill passed the Environment Committee with a comfortable 21-6 margin after receiving strong support from a wide spectrum of supporters at public hearing. That vote will likely be scored by the CT League of Conservation Voters. The bill was then referred to the Finance Committee, where it languished for weeks before dying of neglect.
Clearly, the State’s budget deficit (and lack of a budget) are major concerns. Ironically, the Green Fund bill could have provided hundreds of millions of dollars for conservation projects yearly without costing the State a dime. In states where such a local fee is used, it has proven a popular way to fund open space and farmland, especially in expensive real estate markets like Long Island, Block Island and Cape Cod, where sprawl has been eating up remaining rural lands. Thousands of acres have been saved.
Meanwhile, State funding assistance for municipal governments is being cut back, at a time when these budgets are also in crisis. Cutting assistance while failing to provide alternative funding mechanisms is a double-whammy for local communities, which are hard-pressed to find funds for land conservation, brownfield remediation, storm sewer improvements, energy conservation, and air quality projects. Billions of dollars are needed if local conservation goals around the state are to be met, and yet most communities are cutting budgets back and conservation is often the first thing to go. The Green Fund would make a major contribution in reversing that trend.
What now? The push for passage of the Green Fund has grown each year. The time between sessions is when legislators are available to discuss next year's bills. Green Fund supporters hope to organize a forum in the fall to improve grass roots understanding of local conservation funding, and to educate our legislators to the value of the Conveyance fee approach. Hopefully, we can get farmers, builders and realtors from those areas where the legislation has proved popular, to help educate similar groups in Connecticut.
Together with the environmental community and municipal leaders, a powerful coalition is forming, to make it clear to legislators that they cannot be "too busy" to bring a billion-dollar local option Green Fund proposal up for a vote this coming year.
Questions, suggestions and comments should be directed to David Bingham, Co-Chair of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters and CT Sierra Green Fund Coordinator, at dbbingham@sbcglobal.net.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, the next transportation authorization bill would distribute $450 billion in funds to states over six years to upgrade roads, bridges and transit systems, including $70 billion each year for highway and mass transit systems. Nearly a third (28%) of our greenhouse gas emissions comes from the transportation sector.
