League Of Conservation Voters Details Criteria For Legislators 2014 Scorecards
The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) recently released its 2014 Environmental Scorecard, the latest in a 15-year series of documents which rate Connecticut’s state legislators by the votes they have cast on key environmental bills. Lori Brown, CTLCV Exec. Director, said the Scorecards tally votes on major issues and show a numerical score for each legislator.
The document describes the most important environmental bills to come up in the Connecticut General Assembly, and explains wins and losses for the environment.
The 2014 Bills that were scored include:
OPEN SPACE, PARKS & TREES
SB 70: An Act Concerning The Grant Of Property Interest In Property Held By The Departments Of Agriculture And Energy & Environmental Protection And The Establishment Of A Public Use And Benefit Land Registry: Supported / Passed
This bill, now Public Act 14-169, affirms the authority of DEEP and Department of Agriculture to better protect public lands with a conservation restriction, and creates an online registry providing more public information about the protected (or not) status of state-owned and other conservation lands.
HB 5408: An Act Concerning Tree Trimming: Supported / Passed
This bill, now Public Act 14-151, places the burden of proof on the utility companies for the need to cut and destroy trees or shrubs that could pose a hazard in the State of Connecticut. It brings more tree expertise into the decisions, clarifies and improves the way that electric utilities must notify landowners and clarifies the opportunities for landowners to object or request a modification.
HB 5370: AA Implementing The Recommendations Of The Program Review And Investigations Committee Concerning Certain Fiscal And Resource-Related Matters Pertaining To State Parks: Supported / Partially included in the Budget
This bill would have allocated 100% of cabin rental revenues to the parks where they are located, and 50% of all revenues collected at state parks and forests to operations and maintenance of state parks and forests.
WATER PLANNING
HB 5424: AAC The Responsibilities Of The Water Planning Council: Supported / Passed
This bill, now Public Act 14-163, directs the Water Planning Council to engage in a three-year process for writing a comprehensive statewide water plan. This plan will identify quantities and qualities of water available, present and projected demands for water resources, appropriate regions in the state for comprehensive water planning, and will establish guidelines and incentives for consumer water conservation, taking into account energy efficiency.
The plan will then be submitted in 2017 to four committees of the General Assembly for vetting and passage.
LONG ISLAND SOUND
SB 312: AAC A Long Island Sound Resource And Use Inventory And A Long Island Sound Blue Plan: Supported / Failed
This bill would have authorized the Office of Policy and Management to convene an advisory committee of agencies and stakeholders to compile an inventory of the natural habitats and resources in and under the waters of Long Island Sound, and the ways in which the Sound is used, including boating, fishing, aquaculture, energy transmission, shipping and others. The committee would use that inventory to develop a “Blue Plan” to guide the location and performance standards for new uses and facilities regulated under existing state authorities, so that conflicts are minimized and the Sound’s traditional uses, ecological integrity and economic importance are protected.
PESTICIDES & TOXICS
HB 5330: An Act Concerning The Application Of Pesticides At Parks, Playgrounds, Athletic Fields And Municipal Greens: Supported / Failed
This bill aimed to protect children’s health from the toxic lawn pesticides by applying the restrictions now on pre-K through 8th grade schools to parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and municipal greens.
SB 46: An Act Concerning Pesticides On School Grounds: Supported / Failed
This bill would have extended the current ban on the use of lawn care pesticides in pre-K through 8th grade schools to include all schools with students in grades 9-12. This would have helped to protect all school-aged children from the dangerous chemicals found in pesticides.
SB 443: An Act Concerning Pesticides On School Grounds, Parks, Playgrounds, Athletic Fields And Municipal Greens And Banning The Sale And Use Of Genetically Engineered Lawn Or Turf Seeds: Supported / Failed
The original aim was to expand the existing pesticide ban at pre-K through 8th grade schools to include parks, playgrounds, municipal town greens and high schools. The bill was altered in the Senate to ban the use and sale of genetically-engineered grass seed, but was summarily killed by leadership in the House.
HB 5354: An Act Concerning Chemicals Of High Concern To Children: Supported / Failed
Similar to SB 126 (below), this bill would have required the Department of Public Health to identify chemicals potentially harmful to children and report to the Public Health committee concerning such chemicals.
SB 126: An Act Concerning Children’s Exposure To Chemicals: Supported / Failed
This bill would have set up a sustainable framework in the state by requiring the Department of Public Health to identify chemicals that pose an exposure hazard to children and to make recommendations every two years to the Legislature to reduce exposure.
FRACKING WASTE
SB 237: An Act Prohibiting The Storage Or Disposal Of Fracking Waste In Connecticut: Support / Passed
This bill, now Public Act 14-200, creates a three year moratorium to keep toxic fracking waste out of the state temporarily, provides time to analyze the rapidly-developing science around its impacts, and partially closes the federal loophole that would otherwise let fracking waste slip through Connecticut’s hazardous waste laws.
GLOBAL WARMING
HB 5410: An Act Concerning Lost And Unaccounted For Gas: Supported / Passed
This bill, now Public Act 14-152, will limit the amount of lost and unaccounted for gas a natural gas distribution company may recover from ratepayers to incentivize them to fix leaks in the system.
SB 66: An Act Concerning Outdoor Wood-Burning Furnaces: Supported / Passed
This bill, now Public Act 14-92, will require owners of all outdoor wood-burning furnaces to burn only wood that is not chemically treated. The US Environmental Protection Agency is expected to change emission standards which would grandfather in older furnaces. However, under this legislation Connecticut will retain these requirements.
PUBLIC INPUT
SB 405: An Act Concerning Public Hearings On Subdivision Applications: Opposed / Failed
This bill would have eliminated public hearings for subdivision applications before local planning commissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS
HB 5431 - AAC FIRST TIME VIOLATORS: Opposed / Failed
This bill would have endangered the environment and public health and safety by waiving fines for first-time violations of regulations.
The CTLCV also noted that the most important votes during the legislative session often happen in committee. Lawmakers can block important bills, push them along or change them with amendments.
An important environmental bill to curb pesticides this year was defeated by one single vote on March 27.
According to the league, this vote is included in our overall score, but it is worth calling out as a glaring example of what happens when industry lobbyists have their way.
Newtown Delegation Details
Representative DebraLee Hovey was among three lawmakers who were absent for this vote. No other Newtown delegation lawmakers were involved in this committee action.
Her pro-environment support was noted on SB70 Land Conservation (5/7/14), HB 5424 Statewide Water Plan (4/30/14), HB 5410 Methane Leaks (4/16/14), SB 66 Outdoor Wood-Burning Furnaces (5/7/14).
The CTLCV tagged Rep Hovey for “anti-environment” action on HB 5408 Tree Trimming (5/2/14), SB 443 Extended Pesticides Ban (4/10/14), SB 237 Fracking Waste (5/7/14), and HB 5431 Environmental Violations (5/1/14).
Rep Hovey’s absence was noted on several key votes including HB 5330 Extended Ban on Pesticides (3/27/14), HB 5354 Children’s Exposure to Chemicals (4/7/14), and SB 237 Fracking Waste (4/14/14).
Representative Dan Carter’s pro-environment support was noted on SB70 Land Conservation (5/7/14), SB 237 Fracking Waste (5/7/14), HB 5410 Methane Leaks (3/18/14), HB 5410 Methane Leaks (4/16/14), and SB 66 Outdoor Wood-Burning Furnaces (5/7/14).
The CTLCV tagged Rep Carter for “anti-environment” action on HB 5408 Tree Trimming (5/2/14), HB 5424 Statewide Water Plan (4/30/14), SB 443 Extended Pesticides Ban (4/10/14), and HB 5431 Environmental Violations (5/1/14).
Representative Mitch Bolinsky received points for “pro-environment votes on SB70 Land Conservation (3/17/14), SB70 Land Conservation (5/7/14), HB 5408 Tree Trimming (5/2/14), HB 5424 Statewide Water Plan (3/21/14), HB 5424 Statewide Water Plan (4/30/14), SB 312 Long Island Sound Inventory and Blue Plan (3/21/14), and SB 66 Outdoor Wood-Burning Furnaces (2/28/14).
Rep Bolinsky’s “anti-environment votes came on SB 443 Extended Pesticides Ban (3/21/14), SB 237 Fracking Waste (3/7/14), HB 5431 Environmental Violations (5/1/14).
Rep Bolinsky’s absence was noted on several key votes including SB 46 Pesticides on School Grounds (4/11/14), HB 5410 Methane Leaks (4/16/14), and SB 443 Extended Pesticides Ban (4/10/14).
While he was not available for comment on his score, the 2014 Scorecard is dedicated to Newtown’s retiring senator and Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, along with President Pro-Tem Donald Williams, and Senate Chair of the Environment Committee Ed Meyer.
Senator McKinney retires with a current year score of 88, and a lifetime ranking of 86 (out of a possible 100). He received points for “pro-environment votes on SB70 Land Conservation (4/23/14), HB 5408 Tree Trimming (5/2/14), HB 5408 Tree Trimming (5/2/14), and SB 312 Long Island Sound Inventory and Blue Plan (4/30/14).
Sen McKinney was also recognized for his support of SB 237 Fracking Waste (5/6/14), HB 5410 Methane Leaks (5/7/14), SB 66 Outdoor Wood-Burning Furnaces (4/9/14).
According to the CTLCV Scorecard, Sen McKinney’s only “anti-environment” vote was tied to SB 443 Extended Pesticides Ban (4/9/14).
to view the full 2014 Environmental Scorecard.Click here