Press Releases
04/22/2018
Gov. Malloy Opens Rebuilt Fishing Pier, Calls for Legislative Action on Climate Change and Energy
(NEW HAVEN, CT) – Joined by federal, state, and local officials, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today participated in a ceremony commemorating the grand opening of the rebuilt Fort Hale Park Pier in New Haven. The original pier was badly damaged in 2011 by the impact of Tropical Storm Irene and then completely destroyed in 2012 by Superstorm Sandy. The rebuilt pier, funded with a state bond grant, was designed to better withstand future severe weather events. During the event, the Governor discussed the impact of extreme weather on our state and push for legislative proposals currently pending in the General Assembly that will better prepare the state for the ongoing effects of climate change and sea level rise.
“This state-of-the art pier marks not only an important investment in New Haven, it marks an important investment in our future – because it was built to withstand the unpredictable and powerful weather patterns brought on by a changing climate,” Governor Malloy said. “It’s an example of how we should be building in the 21st century – taking account of the fact that the sea will rise, and storms will me more frequent and more powerful than we have become accustomed to. With sea levels are expected to rise by nearly two feet over the next 30 years, causing great harm to our coastal communities, we must adjust our current practices to prevent climate disaster. My administration’s two proposals do just that.”
The Governor’s environmental bill, Senate Bill 7 – An Act Concerning Climate Change and Resiliency, which has been passed by the legislature’s Environment Committee, 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, which has been passed by the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee, 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 structure.
- 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.
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