Gov. Malloy, Commissioner Klee Push for Environmental and Energy Bills

HARTFORD, Connecticut, March 19 -- Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release:

Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee today advocated for the passage of the Malloy administration's environmental protection and resiliency bill, as well as the Governor's energy bill, both of which have received public hearings in recent weeks. Taken together, the two bills would represent a major step in Connecticut's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase accessibility of residential rooftop solar, and combat the effects of climate change.

"Climate change is real, it's man-made, and it's here," Governor Malloy said. "We see the effects everywhere: unprecedented drought and wildfires in Western states, global temperatures increasing every year, and more powerful and unpredictable storms than we have ever encountered. And sea levels are expected to rise by nearly two feet over the next 30 years, causing great harm to our coastal communities. Fairness to future generations of Connecticut residents demands that we adjust our current practices to prevent climate disaster. My administration's two proposals do just that."

The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) recommends that Connecticut plan for the upper range of sea level rise projections of nearly two feet by the year 2050.

The Governor's environmental bill, Senate Bill 7 - An Act Concerning Climate Change and Resiliency, makes necessary statutory changes to ensure the success of future projects undertaken in the state, the prudence of our investments, and the safety of those residing on or near the shoreline. The legislation:

* Implements an interim target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent from a 2001 baseline by 2030 as recommended by the Governor's Council on Climate Change.

* Updates current statutory references to sea level rise to reflect CIRCA's planning recommendation of nearly two feet by 2050.

* Requires all future state projects located in the Coastal Boundary that are either undertaken by a state agency or funded by a state/federal grant or loan to meet CIRCA's projections.

* Updates Connecticut coastal boundary maps to move the boundary landward distance represented by the approximate two feet in sea level rise.

The Governor's energy bill, Senate Bill 9 - An Act Concerning Connecticut's Energy Future, will build upon the state's long history of successes to cement Connecticut's leadership status on climate and clean energy by providing goals, structural reforms, and policy tools required to ensure continued progress through 2030 and beyond. The legislation:

* Increases the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 40 percent by 2030.

* Makes the compensation for clean distributed generation simpler, fairer and more sustainable by:

* Simplifying the current net metering / virtual net metering structures through the introduction of one competitive auction process resulting in a long-term contract for winning bids.

* Establishing a fixed rate for residential programs (i.e. rooftop solar) through a PURA rate setting process that ensures that developers cover their costs and earn a fair rate of return.

* Most significantly, this proposal will increase the megawatts deployed of renewable energy at a savings of over $1 billion in ratepayer dollars over 20 years compared with the continuation of current programs.

* Establishes a procurement process for energy efficiency as a resource, and sets a minimum efficiency target based on current investment levels in order to mitigate the impact of the 2017 energy efficiency fund sweeps.

* Fortifies the CT Green Bank in the marketplace. With a leverage rate of 8:1, this legislation will allow the CT Green Bank to establish a sufficient portfolio to become a self-sustaining enterprise by 2025, reducing the need for future ratepayer support while continuing to be an economic engine for Connecticut

"In Connecticut we are fortunate to have a Governor, a Commissioner, an agency of scientists as well as citizen scientists who all recognize the impacts climate change is having upon our state," Commissioner Klee said. "We witness those impacts firsthand in the roads that once did not flood, but that now flood frequently; the warming of the Long Island Sound and the slow but steady shift from a New England fishery to a Mid-Atlantic fishery; to the changes in our fall foliage season and wildlife habitats. If we do not take action today, it is our children and grandchildren who will be dealing with the impacts of climate change and asking why we did not do something when we had the opportunity to do so."

"The sea level is rising. When the ocean warms, it expands and when the global temperature increases, ice trapped on land moves into the ocean faster and melts," James O'Donnell, Executive Director of CIRCA and UConn Professor of Marine Sciences, said. "Tide gauges in Long Island Sound have already measured sea level rise along Connecticut's coast. Simulations by the International Panel on Climate Change and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have found that sea levels should be expected to continue to rise in the future, and because of the projected changes in the circulation in the Atlantic, water levels will increase more in Connecticut than most other parts of the world. Connecticut is also sinking slowly relative to the sea level, so we should prepare for an extra rapid rate of sea level rise locally. Based on the four approaches to projecting sea level used by NOAA in 2012, and using local Connecticut data, CIRCA recommends that Connecticut's communities plan for up to 20 inches of sea level rise by the year 2050. We also recommend that the sea level rise projections be updated every 10 years to ensure that we are planning using the best science available."