217 environmentalists, conservationists, clean energy advocates, businesses, and local and state officials from up and down the Atlantic Coast are united in calling for bold action to accelerate the development of offshore wind. In Connecticut, ten offshore wind proponents joined Environment Connecticut, including the Connecticut Marine Trades Association, Senators Doyle and Meyer, Clean Water Action of Connecticut, and several other environmental groups and elected officials. The coalition released a letter to the Obama Administration to show strong support for progress made to date and to urge continued leadership to ensure we see several wind farms spinning off our coasts within the next few years.

(greenjersey.org)

“There are vast untapped reserves of wind energy off our coast that we can capture to reduce pollution and grow the clean energy economy,” said Emily Grand with Environment Connecticut.  “Our letter shows broad agreement among environmental groups and a diversity of other stakeholders in calling on our state and national leaders to act to steadily ramp-up the development of offshore wind.”

The letter notes the need for federal leadership to move away from fossil fuels that threaten our environment, public health and national security.  It applauds the Obama Administration for its efforts over the last year, specifically the actions of Secretary Salazar and the Department of the Interior for its “Smart from the Start” initiative.  “Smart from the Start” designates appropriate areas for wind development in federal waters off the coast of six Atlantic states—Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.

“Conservationists of all political stripes are united behind offshore wind as a winner for America’s wildlife, public health and economy,” said Catherine Bowes, the senior manager for new energy solutions at the National Wildlife Federation. “Clean energy solutions are critical to protecting our wildlife, fish and natural resources for future generations of outdoor enthusiasts.”

“Ocean conservationists across the country recognize offshore wind development as a way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create long-term and good paying American jobs, and become leaders in the global clean energy race,” said Nancy Sopko, Ocean Advocate at Oceana. “It is critical that we invest in clean energy technologies like offshore wind to help combat and mitigate the effects of climate change that are harming our oceans and sea life.”

While much progress has been made along the Atlantic Coast, it is critical to build on the momentum of the last year and continue to prioritize environmentally sound development of our offshore wind energy resources.  The coalition calls on the Obama Administration to:

• Support federal financial investments to spur offshore wind development;
• Set a bold goal for offshore wind in the Atlantic;
• Ensure that offshore wind projects are sited, constructed and operated responsibly;
• Provide DOI and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management with sufficient staff and resources, and
• Prioritize coordination to secure a market for offshore wind power.

“We stand together and ready to work with the Obama Administration and state officials to advance offshore wind as part of a comprehensive plan to put America on a path to a truly clean energy future,” concluded Grand.

Environment New Jersey and the Natural Resources Defense Council said they filed the lawsuit today in the appellate division of Superior Court, alleging the DEP and the administration of Gov. Chris Christie bucked the state’s Administrative Procedure Act.

For more on this story, visit: 2 groups sue DEP over N.J. pullout from regional environmental initiative | NJ.com.

Middletown – A new report by Environment Connecticut Research & Policy Center released today in front of the solar array atop Middletown-based Center Point Office Park, highlights the role that clean energy and environmental policies have played in moving states toward meeting targets for reducing global warming emissions, while challenging claims that actions that reduce emissions undermine economic growth.

According to A Record of Leadership: How Northeastern States are Cutting Global Warming Pollution and Building a Clean Economy, Connecticut and the 9 other states that participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have cut per capita carbon dioxide emissions 20 percent faster than the rest of the nation, even as the region’s gross product per capita grew 87 percent faster than the rest of the United States.

Michael Licamele, Marketing Director for SolarChange; Johanna Neumann, Regional Director for Environment Connecticut; Roger Smith, Energy Program Director for Clean Water Action; and Michael Tyre, Architect of Center Point stand in front of the rooftop solar PV array at Center Point Office Park.

“Connecticut’s experience over the past decade gives us confidence that, with state leadership and more strong policies to promote clean energy and to limit carbon emissions, that we can continue to make progress in meeting our goals for reducing the pollution that causes global warming,” said Johanna Neumann, Regional Director with Environment Connecticut Research & Policy Center.

Over the past decade, Connecticut, in partnership with other states in the region, has taken meaningful steps to reduce its carbon emissions, including:

Capping Carbon Emissions: In June 2008, Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell signed the Global Warming Solutions act which requires Connecticut to reduce emissions by 10% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% below 1990 levels by mid-century.

Reducing Power Plant Emissions: In 2005, Connecticut officials joined with nine other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States including New York and Massachusetts, and other states in the Northeast to establish the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the first program in the United States to limit global warming emissions from power plants, sell permits to emit carbon and invest the revenues in energy efficiency and clean energy initiatives. So far, RGGI has been a tremendous success.  In Connecticut, 100 percent of proceeds, more than $51 million dollars so far, on programs to improve energy efficiency and to accelerate the development of cleaner energy sources.  RGGI has already contributed to nearly $1.6 billion in consumer savings, 1,309 new jobs, and $189 million in economic growth in our state.

“ By providing us with important tools to reduce emissions and to invest in efficient and renewable energy, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is helping us to meet our energy goals and our emission reduction targets,” said John Betkoski, Vice Chairman of the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and a member of the Board of Directors of RGGI, Inc.  “RGGI is a key part of Connecticut’s strategy shift to clean energy and we look forward to building on RGGI’s success by working with other states in the region to improve the program.”

Cleaner Cars: Connecticut took meaningful action to reduce tailpipe emissions limits for carbon dioxide and other pollutants when it adopted the clean cars program in 2005.

Improving energy efficiency: Connecticut ranks 8th in the country for energy efficiency. Five of the other top 10 states are also in the Northeast, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Expanding renewable energy: Connecticut and all the states in the RGGI program have adopted a renewable electricity standard designed to increase production of wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy. In 2000, the Northeast had only 24 megawatts (MW) of wind energy capacity; by 2010 it had 1,671 MW.  The region also had 397 MW of solar energy capacity by the end of 2010, of which 70 percent was installed in either 2009 or 2010.

“Last year Connecticut’s leaders created a renewable energy credit incentive program to support the construction of hundreds of megawatts of large scale zero-emission distributed renewable energy systems like solar and wind,” said Michael Licamele, Director of Marketing for Bridgeport-based Solar Change.

The region’s efforts have paid off in a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, even as the region’s economy has grown faster than the nation as a whole. In fact, the 10 northeastern states participating in RGGI emitted 161 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from energy use in 2009 – 15 percent less than in 2000 and 9 percent less than in 1990.

“Connecticut has made good initial progress, but global warming and fossil fuel dependence continue to threaten our prosperity and quality of life,” said Roger Smith, Energy Program Director with Clean Water Action. “We look forward to working with our state leaders to strengthen RGGI, expand efficiency programs, and fulfill our state’s commitment to renewable energy, which together will lead to a cleaner, more secure energy future.”

Over the course of the past nine years I’ve had many rewarding experiences working with so many of you as an advocate for public interest and environmental issues. We’ve fought some tough battles together and achieved real progress for Connecticut’s environment. From the Clean Cars Law in 2004, to Long Island Sound protections, to 2011′s energy bill that is helping move our state to a cleaner and more affordable energy future, and much more, we’ve accomplished a lot together.

He said he intends to continue working on these and other issues of importance to our families and communities.

Johanna Neumann, Environment America New England Regional Director will be overseeing Environment Connecticut. She can be reached at 413-548-9039 or johanna@environmentamerica.org.

“Nuclear power’s risks hit too close to home,” said Environment Connecticut Program Director Christopher Phelps. “This report finds that the drinking water supplies of millions of people in Connecticut and across the country are at risk of contamination in the event of a nuclear accident like the one in Fukushima, Japan.”

The nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, Japan last year highlighted the many risks associated with nuclear power. After the disaster, airborne radiation left areas around the plant uninhabitable, and even contaminated drinking water sources near Tokyo, 130 miles from the plant.

For more on this story, visit: Nuclear Power Plants Threaten Drinking Water for 1.5 Million Connecticut Residents – Environment Connecticut.

West Hartford, Conn. – “Following yesterday’s unanimous approval of SB 1243, the House of Representatives today voted 139 to 8 to send the clean energy bill to Governor Malloy for his signature. This clean energy bill moves Connecticut closer to an efficient, affordable, and clean energy future.”

“SB 1243 puts Connecticut back to work creating jobs building solar, wind and other renewable energy systems. This down payment on a clean energy future will help break our dependence on unaffordable, dangerous and polluting energy sources like oil, gas, coal and nuclear power.”

“The innovative clean energy and efficiency financing and investment programs in the bill will also help families slash their energy bills and put money back in their pockets. It creates low-cost loan programs and other measures supporting everything from energy efficiency retrofits to clean energy installations and construction of infrastructure for electric vehicles.”

“The bill also includes consumer protections, and long overdue reform of the state’s energy planning through creation of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection consolidating many existing state energy programs to make them more efficient and effective at planning for and moving Connecticut towards a clean, efficient, and affordable energy future.”

“Environment Connecticut applauds the hard work and effort of the members of the legislature’s Energy & Technology Committee, as well as the administration of Governor Malloy in passing this clean energy legislation.”

Key clean energy provisions in SB 1243:

- Creates the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection by combining the Department of Public Utility Control and Department of Environmental Protection.

- Creates a renewable energy credit incentive program supporting construction of hundreds of megawatts of larger scale zero-emission distributed renewable energy systems like solar and wind.

- Requires the new Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority to create a residential solar rebate program to install at least 30 megawatts of new residential solar systems.

- Adopts strong efficiency standards for televisions and other products.

- Allows municipalities to create property assessed financing programs for efficiency retrofits and clean energy systems.

- Requires state buildings to reduce energy use 10% by 2013 and another 10% by 2018.

- Creates incentives for utilities and private developers to build 30 megawatts of new large-scale renewable energy systems including solar and wind power.

- Authorizes the new Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority to invest in energy efficiency retrofits, renewable energy systems, as well as electric and alternative vehicle infrastructure.

Environment Connecticut Field Associate Joe Blass released the following statement:

“Clearly, Big Oil’s New Year’s resolutions are: learn no lessons, admit no mistakes, and show no shame.

“For most Americans, rising oil prices are a burden on our families and a threat to our environment.  For Big Oil, rising oil prices due to surging international demand is ‘encouraging news.’

“Big Oil’s recommendations are a threat to our climate, the air that we breathe, and the oceans that are critical resources for fisherman and people who work in the tourism industries across the country.

“Having learned nothing from the disaster in the Gulf, Big Oil continues to call for the expansion of deep water drilling, which threatens our oceans and coastal communities nationwide.  If there is another oil spill, however damaging, Big Oil does not believe they should be required to pay for it – their plan rails against increasing liability limits for oil spills.

“To make matters worse, Big Oil’s trade association is calling for handouts to help them make even dirtier sources of fuel that produce more pollution and toxic waste, and will destroy even more critical wilderness areas.

“Despite one of the warmest years in recorded history, Big Oil clearly believes that we should do nothing to stop the threat of global climate change. Oil companies are already responsible for more global warming pollution than any other energy source, but their plan would add over a million additional metric tons of CO2 per year. Their plan calls for the EPA to be stripped of their ability to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act, while the government helps them invest billions in fuels that produce even more carbon emissions.

“Big Oil has proposed an energy plan that essentially is a request for more taxpayer money to harm our planet and gouge consumers. Moreover, these recommendations will do nothing to stop the real cause of rising oil prices, which is the explosion of global demand for oil.

“The real solution to our oil crisis is a set of transportation policies that will make our vehicles more efficient, invest in new technologies like electric vehicles, and provide Americans with clean alternatives like public transportation.

“Last October, the Obama administration took a strong first step toward cutting our oil dependence by beginning to develop new fuel efficiency and global warming pollution standards for cars and light trucks for model years 2017 through 2025. The administration announced that the clean car technologies exist to make the average car and light truck go 60 miles on a gallon of gas by 2025, which is the fleet-wide average that Environment America and other groups have been urging the administration to adopt.

“Reaching 60 miles per gallon would result in Connecticut Families saving over one billion dollars at the gas pump in 2030 and cut annual oil use by 440 million gallons in that year, according to research by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

“The Obama administration should reject the oil industry’s policy of drill, spill and send consumers the bill, and seize this historic opportunity to reduce our dependence on oil and save Americans money at the gas pump, by proposing a serious and comprehensive plan to end our dependence on oil.”

Environment Connecticut is a state-wide, member-supported non-profit Environmental Advocacy Organization working to protect Connecticut’s Clean Air, Clean Water, and Open Spaces

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The findings in the new Environment Connecticut study are based on estimates that 195,000 families will be on the road this Thanksgiving, said Joe Blass, a spokesman for the West Hartford environmental group.

via Cleaner cars would save state drivers $2.4M over holiday – The New Haven Register.

A West Hartford-based environmental group is using a new report released this week renew its call for the Obama administration to permanently back away from an expansion of oil exploration and drilling off of America’s coasts.

The Environment Connecticut study found that coastal tourism and fishing businesses generate $4.63 billion annually and provide nearly 90,000 jobs. And that’s just a small portion of the total impact those industries have on the Northeast as a whole: These businesses generate $62.3 billion and employ over 1.15 million people.

via The New Haven Register Blogs: Power to the People: New Study on Connecticut’s Coastal Economy Renews Calls to Reduce Off Shore Oil Exploration Efforts.