We recently submitted written testimony in support of SB 354: An Act Establishing a Green New Deal for Connecticut. You can read it below. Calls and emails are still needed to legislators to urge them to support this important legislation this session! You can find your local legislators here.
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Written Testimony Submitted to the Connecticut General Assembly Labor and Public Employees Committee in Support of Senate Bill 354: An Act Establishing a Green New Deal for Connecticut
March 3, 2020
To the Honorable Senator Kushner, the Honorable Representative Porter, and distinguished members of the Labor and Public Employees Committee:
We write from the Collaborative Center for Justice, which is a faith-based advocacy organization based in Hartford. We are sponsored by six Congregations of Women Religious across the state.
We are writing in strong support of SB 354: An Act Establishing a Green New Deal for Connecticut. We believe that the Connecticut General Assembly must pass bold, comprehensive, and just legislation this session to address climate change and mitigate its effects. We believe that passing and implementing a Green New Deal is a critical component of responding to the urgent reality of climate change.
We urge you to pass a strong Green New Deal bill that would: move Connecticut to 100% clean and renewable energy in the transportation, electric, and building sectors; prioritize environmental justice; ensure a just transition from fossil fuels to renewables, particularly in terms of prioritizing people who have worked in the fossil fuel industry for hire in new green jobs; and include accountability structures to make sure the stated goals and requirements are being upheld. While we believe it will be important to move to 100% clean and renewable energy economy-wide over time, we strongly support the transitions that this bill includes for the transportation, electric, and building sectors. These transitions will have important, positive impacts on the health of the planet and the people of Connecticut.
We believe that equity and environmental justice should be central to the planning an implementation of a Green New Deal, and we appreciate that this bill emphasizes a commitment to these principles. Low-income communities and communities of color already disproportionally bear the burden of environmental degradation and effects from climate change. These communities should be prioritized in the plans of where to begin implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies. Voices from these frontline communities should be included, and be central, in the discussions about the operationalizing of the Green New Deal. The transition to clean and renewable energy must be a just one, by which we mean that those individuals and communities who are currently involved with the fossil fuel industry (either through employment or economic benefits to the community) should be prioritized to fill and benefit from new green jobs. A just transition would also mean that communities that have historically borne the burdens of power plants, incinerators, and fossil fuel infrastructure in their communities will be prioritized in the transition to clean and renewable energy. We appreciate that this legislation creates a Just Transition Office that will also ensure that residents of low-income and environmental justice communities, as well as other traditionally underrepresented groups, will have access to training and jobs in the clean energy workforce.
As people of faith, we are called to care for the earth and all of its inhabitants. We believe that each person is created in the image of God and deserves dignity and respect. We understand the earth as our common home, and are committed to acting in ways that protect its integrity for this and future generations. We believe that passing strong legislation to address and mitigate the effects of climate change is an important part of protecting human and ecological health.
We thank you for considering the health and wellbeing of the residents of Connecticut, particularly the most vulnerable, as well as the care of our precious natural resources when you vote on this important bill.
Thank you for the opportunity to express our support of SB 354: An Act Establishing a Green New Deal for Connecticut.
Respectfully submitted,
Dwayne David Paul – Director
Rachel Lea Scott, MSW – Associate Director