Feb 22 Press Release: CT Delegation Earns Perfect Scores on 2009 National Environmental Scorecard from National LCV

Today, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) joined the national League of Conservations Voters in releasing the 2009 National Environmental Scorecard, unveiling scores for the Connecticut delegation in the first session of the 111^th Congress.  For 30 years, the LCV's National Environmental Scorecard has been the nationally-accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress on environmental, public health and energy issues.

In Connecticut, all five House members and two senators earned a perfect 100 percent score in 2009.  Only Connecticut and Hawaii earned perfect scores in both chambers.

"We applaud Connecticut's entire federal delegation for fighting in 2009 to bring clean energy jobs to the state and reduce our national dependence on foreign oil," said CTLCV's Executive Director, Lori Brown.  "Now we need our state lawmakers to take equal note of their constituents' overriding concerns with protecting our environment, moving toward a clean energy future, and creating jobs to get us there."

The 2009 National Environmental Scorecard includes 11 Senate and 13 House votes dominated by clean energy and climate but also encompassing other environmental issues such as public lands, water and wildlife conservation. 

"The 2009 National Environmental Scorecard illustrates the extent to which the Obama administration and the 111th Congress began to move our nation towards a clean energy future that will create new jobs, make America more energy independent and curb global warming pollution," said LCV President Gene Karpinski.   "However, it also makes clear that there is still much work to be done, first and foremost to finish the work started in the House by swiftly passing a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill in the Senate."

Connecticut Delegation 2009 National Environmental Scores

Senate
Dodd (D )                  100%
Lieberman (I )            100%

House
Larson, J. (D- Dist 1)   100%
Courtney (D-Dist 2)     100%
DeLauro (D-Dist 3)      100%
Himes (D-Dist 4)         100%
Murphy, C. (D-Dist 5)  100%

Representatives Larson, Courtney, DeLauro, Himes and Murphy all voted for the landmark American Clean Energy and Security Act.  That bill would help bring more than 16,741 clean energy jobs to Connecticut, according to the Center for American Progress & Political Economy Research Institute's clean energy jobs map.

In Connecticut, state lawmakers were graded by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Environmental Scorecard (CTLCV) for votes taken during the 2009 session of the Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut's state lawmakers' environmental voting records are available in CTLCV's 2009 Environmental Scorecard, online at www.ctlcv.org/scorecard.

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Feb 11 Press Release: CTLCV Gears Up for Next Environmental Scorecard

Early Assault on Environment is Duly Noted

Connecticut is only one week into its 2010 legislative session, and already its environment is under attack.

No Shortage of Bad Ideas
Short-sighted and ill-conceived legislative proposals have emerged that would:

• Sell off state land without following rules requiring public disclosure and public comment;

• Rob clean energy and energy efficiency accounts in order to pay the costs of borrowing money to plug our current $1.3 billion budget gap;

• Allow a takeover of the Department of Environmental Protection by the Department of Community & Economic Development;  and

• Form a commission to expedite the environmental permitting process--without designating a single environmental specialist seat on the commission.

CTLCV will continue to fulfill its mission as a legislative watchdog and track these and other environmental issues closely throughout the session and report them on our online Watchlist (www.ctlcv.org/watchlist.htm). 

Wanted:  Green Jobs, Clean Energy and Transportation Alternatives
In addition to fending off destructive bills that would compromise Connecticut's land, air, water and wildlife, CTLCV will also be watching for constructive, proactive, pro-environment measures--especially those that can be implemented at low or no cost. 

CTLCV will be particularly attentive to bills that create jobs that are good for the air, water, land, wildlife, build a clean energy economy, reform muncipal revenue mechanisms, impair environmental funding, or support transportation alternatives.

Bipartisan, Environmental Champions Sought for 2010
CTLCV will look to last session's pro-environment freshman class and to the environmental champions from both parties that we highlighted in our 2009 Environmental Scorecard to continue to earn their titles.  To make real progress, we're also expecting them to demonstrate bipartisan leadership of the highest caliber.

We're Here to Help!
As always, CTLCV staff is available to field your questions on environmental legislation throughout the session. Please call on us at 860.236.5442 if we may be of assistance.

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About CTLCV
Formed in 2000, the bipartisan Connecticut League of Conservation Voters focuses on getting smart, sustainable environmental policies enacted in Connecticut. 

CTLCV works with Connecticut's environmental advocates to promote important bills that affect Connecticut's air, water, wildlife, open space, transportation, energy choices and health. CTLCV educates state legislators about these bills through Scorecard Alerts and urges them to cast a pro-environment vote.

In election years, CTLCV researches positions taken by political candidates and endorses those who demonstrate leadership and pledge to make the environment a high legislative priority. CTLCV's endorsements have become widely sought by candidates of all parties. These endorsements give environment-minded voters the information they need to make informed choices at election time.

Opening Day: February 3, 2010

By Lori Brown, CTLCV Executive Director

Opening day!

The legislative session opened last week as it always does—with the feel of the first day of high school. Legislators, lobbyists, staffers, environmental advocates and every other kind of advocate greeted, hugged, laughed, plotted and generally saw each other publicly for the first time in months.

As the Governor gave her opening address, a number of the environmental advocates working on the green jobs effort gathered around a television set in the Capitol listening for some indication about the Governor’s environmental priorities.

She mentioned a few priority concerns: credit availability, renewable energy, and workforce. She had a few program initiatives under each, but nothing especially sweeping to change our current budget. But the most entertaining moment was when the Governor invoked Kermit the Frog’s famous quote about being green. We’re not sure about using a fictional puppet as the icon for Connecticut’s energy policy, but even so, we all really liked the fact that energy and green jobs were part of her opening remarks.

Shortly after the Governor’s speech, the environment committee held its first meeting of the session in the Legislative Office Building. The purpose of the meeting was to raise “concepts” that would have a public hearing. One legislator, Clark Chapin, bemoaned the large number of issues, noting that the environment committee had a reputation for putting too much on the table. Just goes to show how much needs to get done….

The bottom line is that the race is on. In a short session and in an election year, the environmental leaders at the Capitol have a narrow window of opportunity to get some good things done. Our environmental issues (transportation, water infrastructure, parks, renewable energy, etc.) can often help “solve” our economic and state budget issues. Legislators should embrace good environmental policy as a part of good economic policy. We will be working with all of our environmental colleagues to do all that we can to ensure smart, environmentally sustainable laws get passed this year.

And just as a reminder, our Environmental Scorecard will be re-released later this month to bolster our friends and shine a light on some dark corners and not so-good decisions.

Keep the Momentum Going: Green Jobs

A recently-formed Job Growth Roundtable played to a full room today when it announced its recommendations for jump-starting job growth and hiring in Connecticut.

Underscoring the notion that improving our economy must go hand-in-hand with improving our environment, the roundtable wisely suggests focusing on three specific areas: transportation, water and energy.

CTLCV supports that focus as well as key principles behind the roundtable’s recommendations: that we must leverage our resources, and we must increase accountability, cooperation, and coordination across government. We too believe that “effective public policy stokes economic growth.”

While today’s press event was led by Democrats, it’s notable that one of them, Representative Denise Merrill, made a point of voicing support for a related initiative championed by Governor Rell--applying a “lean” approach to delivering government services, as is being implemented at the Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies.

As the curtain lifts on the 2010 legislative session, that’s a good start to the bipartisan effort that will be needed to lift ourselves from our economic doldrums. We look forward to Governor Rell keeping the momentum for green jobs going in her opening address tomorrow.