LCV: 40 Years of Turning Environmental Values into National Priorities

 – Kelly Kennedy and National LCV

Forty years ago , the modern environmental movement was born out of recognition of the need for cleaner air, safer water and a healthier planet.   The national League of Conservation Voters was founded that same year, 1970.

As we celebrate LCV’s 40^th anniversary, LCV honors five dedicated individuals who have played a major role in helping to build LCV and an extraordinary network of state conservation voter organizations: John ‘Jay’ Harris, IV (in memoriam), John Hunting, Alida Messinger, and Laura Turner Seydel and Ted Turner on behalf of the Turner family. Each honoree has been instrumental in fulfilling the promise of that first Earth Day to harness the grassroots power of citizens to move environmental issues to the top of the national agenda.

Since its founding, LCV has been at the forefront of leveraging the political process to protect our air, land, and water. For forty years, LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard has served to shine a spotlight on key congressional votes and actions on environmental, energy, and public health issues.

Today, the conservation voter movement is vibrant, with state LCVs in more than 30 states working to educate citizens, pass strong laws, hold elected officials accountable, and elect pro-environment leaders.

It is a fight that LCV continues every day.

In 2010, LCV continues to partner with allies across and beyond the environmental movement to push for policies that help solve the climate crisis and build a clean energy future. Together, we have the opportunity to pass sound environmental laws and elect leaders who will advance a legacy of sustainability, innovation and hope for the next generation.

Secretary LaHood on High Speed Rail Prospects: “Connecticut Has Its Act Together”

– Kelly Kennedy

US Senator Chris Dodd and US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood made a special appearance at Connecticut’s capitol this morning to discuss the future of the rail corridor connecting New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, MA.

Along with Governor Rell, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congressman John Larson, Connecticut Commissioner of Transportation Joe Marie, and Massachusetts  Transportation Secretary Jeff Mullan, Dodd and LaHood rode the Amtrak shuttle along part of the proposed rail line from New Haven to Hartford.

Asked by one reporter what his presence in Connecticut signified, LaHood stated that

“Connecticut has its act together.  This corridor has its act together.  I can’t say that everywhere I go.”

- US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood

Much of the officials’ remarks at the morning press conference emphasized the role that the high speed rail line will play in moving people and products in a more competitive regional economy.  “Connecticut will contribute its fair share” toward making it happen, in proportion to the benefits it will receive, said  DOT Commissioner Joseph Marie.

With other states in the region, Connecticut will compete for a piece of the next round of stimulus funding for transportation, which is $2.5 billion in 2010.  The Obama administration has proposed, but Congress has not yet approved, an additional $1 billion for transportation funding for 2011.

Dodd is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, which has jurisdiction over public transportation. According to Dodd’s office,  Dodd, LaHood and state officials have been working together to deliver federal funds to Connecticut to complete the Tri-City Corridor, which would establish both faster, more frequent intercity and commuter rail service connecting New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, providing residents of central Connecticut with better access to New York City, western Massachusetts, Vermont and eventually Boston.

New Britain – Hartford Busway: Not Another Stalled Project for Connecticut

 – Kelly Kennedy

Will Connecticut get out of its own way and actually complete a project and deploy some vision?  It seems the opposition to the New Britain to Hartford busway, some ten years in the works,  is again on the rise.

This is what 21st century buses look like.

Completing the busway is not a vote against rail.  Connecticut needs multi-modal transportation:  that means bus and train service.  Preferably coordinated.  

Transit is becoming an extremely important factor in business site selection decisions.  That means if we want to attract businesses to Connecticut, we need to get our transit act together.  As fast as possible.  Decent transit might also go a long way toward keeping the 18-35 demographic in Connecticut too.

Want to know more about the New Britain to Hartford busway? Listen to our  discussion with Ryan Lynch from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign about the New-Britain to Hartford busway project (our initial foray into audio interviews and podcasting).

And here’s a fact sheet from the Regional Plan Association.  Check it out .

Celebrate Earth Day 40 with Us at the Capitol!

This Week at the Capitol, with Susan Merrow

For our second entry of “This Week at the Capitol” we talked with Susan Merrow. She’s on the board of directors of CTLCV and 1000 Friends of Connecticut. Sue also has a long history with the Sierra Club, serving as the president at the national level in the 1990s.

We talked with Sue Merrow at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford recently about what’s going on at this point in the legislative session.

We talked about the state’s budget deficit, some promising bills addressing toxic chemicals, green jobs bills, and some misguided bills that would undermine environmental protection.

Click the image to listen to Sue’s update on what’s going on at Connecticut’s legislature now.

CTLCV Backs Call for Focus on Transit

As a member of the Transportation for America coalition, it was easy to back the call of Connecticut’s transit advocates at the March 31 transit press event outside the LOB. CTLCV joined Transit for Connecticut, the Tri-State Transportation Coalition, the Regional Plan Association, Connecticut Fund for the Environment, legislative leaders, and others at the press conference to support clean, efficient, 21st century public transportation.

Reducing our reliance on cars cuts greenhouse gases and petroleum use. That’s good for the environment. Developing real estate around transportation centers is smart growth. If we commit to building cleaner vehicles, we promote good green jobs.

Connecticut–based UTC Power’s fuel cell-powered bus

And if that’s not enough, transit is good economic development: business site selectors are increasingly looking for easy access to good, fast, reliable transit when companies look to relocate. We want to make ourselves attractive to businesses looking to relocate.

Yes, the financial climate is very tight. But to paraphrase David Bingham in his recent op-ed, times of crisis present opportunities – opportunities to make things better, or make things worse.

Ignoring transit now will just make things worse.