| Hartford, CT – State Senate
Minority Leader John McKinney (R-Fairfield), ranking member
on the General Assembly’s Environment Committee,
today helped lead HB 5600, An Act Concerning Global Warming
Solutions, to unanimous passage in the State Senate.
The bill, which requires total greenhouse gas emissions
be reduced to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and
to 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050, passed the
House on April 28 and now heads to Governor Rell’s
desk where it is expected to be signed into law.
“Connecticut continues to be a leader in the
nation on environmental policy,” said Senator
McKinney. “By capping greenhouse gas emissions,
we will reduce our carbon footprint, conserve energy
and improve air quality in Connecticut while setting
an important example for the rest of the nation.”
Senator McKinney was one of the principle sponsors
of a 2004 bill that established voluntary goals for
reducing greenhouse gases and has been a chief proponent
of the Global Warming bill since it was introduced earlier
this year. He thanked Environment Committee Chairman,
State Senator Ed Meyer (D-Guilford) for his leadership
and advocacy on this issue.
With today’s action, Connecticut becomes just
the fifth state to establish limits for greenhouse gas
emissions. California, New Jersey, Hawaii and Washington
State have passed similar measures.
“Taking steps to reduce carbon emissions and
combat global warming will have a positive impact on
our environment, public safety and national security,”
said Senator McKinney. “It will lead to cleaner
air, greater energy conservation and reduce our dependency
on the foreign oil we receive from unstable countries.”
In addition to establishing a schedule by which the
state must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, HB 5600
also: requires state agencies to identify policies to
meet energy saving goals and emission limits; requires
the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to
publish a baseline inventory of greenhouse gas emissions
and to recommend actions to achieve the necessary reductions;
requires the DEP to evaluate the potential of low-carbon
fuel standards for motor vehicles and home heating fuels
to achieve net carbon reductions; establishes a Climate
Change Impacts Subcommittee to recommend to the Governor
and legislature ways the state can adapt to and help
mitigate global warming; and authorizes DEP to work
with other states and Canadian provinces to develop
a cap-and-trade program to achieve greenhouse gas limits.
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