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 an equitable transition to clean energy:

 

Sierra Club is working with community and statewide partners to replace Hartford's Capitol Area System with a 100% renewable alternative. Learn more and add your name urging Gov. Lamont to commit to a 100% renewable replacement for the fossil gas energy plant and buildings it serves. On January 25, we sent this letter to the Governor and Commissioners to outline important considerations as the state embarks on a decarbonization plan for the plant. On February 13, we held a rally outside the plant, and on February 14 delivered messages to Governor Lamont.

 

DEEP is in the process of updating the Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CES), a guide for future energy decisions. Sierra Club is urging DEEP to draft a CES that stops expanding the use of fracked gas and starts decreasing all polluting fossil fuels, electrifies everything, prioritizes equity, and does not recommend false solutions. On January 6, Sierra Club joined with allies to submit these comments calling on DEEP to prioritize electrification as its decarbonization strategy and plan for an orderly phase down of the gas system. Watch for opportunities to provide public comment.  

 

Compressor stations: On February 22, Sierra Club CT submitted these comments to the NY DEC on permits in NY related to this project.

Air quality monitoring/citizen science: Sierra Club members are engaging in citizen air quality monitoring to better understand the local impacts of pollution and find solutions to Connecticut’s poor air quality. The team is comparing personal monitoring devices to official state and EPA monitors. If you want to monitor your air, or have mad data crunching skills, we are looking for you! Contact Martha.

 

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Zero Waste

Sierra Club Connecticut is working with allies led by CT Coalition for Environmental Justice to oppose trash incineration and to implement Zero Waste policies. The coalition is also working on preventing  polluting “advanced recycling” facilities from being built in Connecticut and ensuring no new trash incineration plants are built. As the 2023 legislative session gets underway, we have worked with legislators to get several bills introduced on Zero Waste issues, with a focus on waste reduction. These include a ban on single use plastics, incentives for organic waste collecting, and limiting polystyrene in schools and restaurants. Another important bill to debate is an “extended producer responsibility” bill intended to put the responsibility for end-of-life consumer packaging onto the manufacturers’ shoulders, but we must be sure the bill is designed to be an effective solution.

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Local Teams

The West Hartford team is planning activities throughout 2023 to educate and mobilize the community around pollinator pathways, e-bikes, electric lawn equipment, solar canopies and more; read more here. On February 12, the team held a “West Hartford Climate and Environment Happenings” gathering. The Windsor Climate Action group is hosting a Sustainability Fair on April 29.  The Shoreline Group is planning a series of educational events throughout 2023 beginning on April 1 with “Regeneration and Growing – Ecologically Sensitive Gardening and Native Plants.”

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Clean Transportation

Sierra Club is working with allies to advocate for policies that promote car-free transportation, electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging, fleet transition, and more. Sierra Club celebrated Transit Equity Day with events and activities on or around February 4, the anniversary of Rosa Parks’ birthday. Sierra Club Connecticut joined others in a letter advocating transit equity policies including fare-free transit, a reduction in vehicle miles traveled, and creation of a Council of Bus Riders.

 

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. Sign the petition to Save Remington Woods here.  Are you following Save Remington Woods on Facebook? Visit and see our latest posts.

 

Wildlife

Wildlife: The Wildlife Committee is working to protect wildlife in our state through education and policy change. The committee produced this bear education flyer, and also designed these stickers to help raise awareness of how to coexist peacefully with bears. The Wildlife Committee is also working on raising awareness of the dangers of mowing hayfields on the local grassland bird population, including the Bobolink. 

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Insure Our Future

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.  

 

Legislative Session

The 2023 session began on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, and your Sierra Club was at the Capitol to share information on our priorities for 2023. The Legislative Committee has met with dozens of legislators for briefings on the priorities. See priorities and bills we are tracking here. The Committee meets every Monday at 7 pm. Contact Art Helmus, Legislative Chair, for more information.