Sierra Club Connecticut: Among Environmental Wins, 2021 Legislative Session Reveals Major Blind Spot on Gas

HARTFORD -- Today marks the end of session for the Connecticut General Assembly. Sierra Club members and supporters have taken over 2,700 actions to advocate for climate and environment bills since January. Several priority bills are now law, which promise cleaner air, water, and a brighter climate future for all residents of Connecticut. 

A brief overview of top Sierra Club issues and bills passed in the 2021 legislative session include the following:

• SB 356 establishes for the first time a comprehensive building retrofit grant program for affordable and low income housing. The program provides access to an array of measures including energy efficiency and weatherization; installation of rooftop solar; electric vehicle charging infrastructure; heat pumps and balanced ventilation. The program also targets health and safety hazards including, but not limited to, gas leaks, mold, vermiculite, asbestos, lead, and radon.

• SB 837 will ban PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam used for training; institute a takeback program for foam currently held by fire departments; and restrict this class of chemicals in food packaging sold or distributed within the state.

• SB 1037 modernizes Connecticut’s bottle redemption with Sierra Club-supported measures including a 10 cent deposit starting in 2024; an increase in the handling fee for redemption centers to 3.5 cents; and an expansion to some non-carbonated beverages. However, the bill included a concerning measure to give the beverage industry future control over the program.

• SB 999 builds on the just transition provisions for clean energy by guaranteeing good, local jobs and training programs for large solar projects similar to those established previously for off-shore wind procurement.

With one notable exception, legislators missed the mark on electric sector decarbonization and ending Connecticut’s dependence on climate-harming fossil gas. The approval of 1,000 MW worth of energy storage (SB 952) was a positive step, but the legislature took several steps backward by approving dirty energy bills, including HB 6524. HB 6524 authorizes 30 MW of fuel cell procurement, including fuel cells run on fossil gas, and HB 6527 increases subsidies for combined heat and power energy produced by burning gas. 

Bills to establish 100 percent zero-carbon electricity (SB 882) and a moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure (SB 718) failed to get called for votes.

Samantha Dynowski, State Director of Sierra Club Connecticut, released the following statement: 

“We are grateful for the passage of bills that promise cleaner air and cleaner water for Connecticut residents. Bright spots include the ban on dangerous PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam and food packaging, the establishment of a comprehensive building retrofit program, ramping up energy storage, and measures that will help ensure the growth of good local jobs in the clean energy economy. 

“Unfortunately, it was not all good news. The legislature failed to act to establish 100 percent zero-carbon electricity or address pervasive concerns about fossil fuel infrastructure expressed by residents. Instead, bills that will increase the use of dirty energy like fuel cells were approved. The science is unequivocal. In order to avert the worst consequences of the climate crisis, we need to be undertaking an all-out effort to decarbonize our economy. We can’t afford to nibble around the edges any more. Sinking resident’s hard-earned money into more unwanted and risky gas is counterproductive.”