Connecticut Chapter Sierra Club

Offshore wind is not just the future of energy in CT and New England, it's happening now!
Today, announced 2 offshore wind bid winners on 4 lease areas in the Gulf of Maine. The accepted bids have the potential to power 2.3 million homes 🏠

Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Lease Sale Results in Two Winning Bids on Four Lease Areas MAINE. – Today, the Department of Interior (DOI) announced the results of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s first-ever Gulf of Maine wind energy auction for eight lease areas off the shore of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

By investing in , CT will see:
☑️ Lower electricity bills
☑️ Reduced exposure to gas price spikes
☑️ A stable, sustainable energy future
Economists agree, offshore wind is CT's best energy solution. 👀 Office of Governor Ned Lamont Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP)

Opinion: Wind power can help lower CT electricity costs Amidst rising costs for electricity in CT, offshore wind presents an opportunity for relief —not an added burden.

Sharing this event from BuildGreenCT:

🌳 The Fair Haven Neighborhood has the lowest tree canopy cover across New Haven.

🤝 Join us on October 24th to explore tree cover disparities across New Haven neighborhoods and learn how those differences disproportionately affect marginalized communities of color.

⏰ Time: 4-6pm
🗓️ Date: October 24th
📍 Location: Criscuolo Park, Corners of Chapel Street & James Street, New Haven, CT

>>>Reserve your tickets now! (https://lnkd.in/gGvPjfPN)

Leaders or laggards? New report from the Sierra Club analyzes the six major US banks' implementation of their net-zero commitments. The report examines current emissions targets and exclusion policies for the banks' financing of oil, gas and coal, as well as key climate-related disclosures, and contrasts those with summarized best practices for those categories.

www.sierraclub.org

It was a great day at the West Hartford Electric Showcase - electric vehicles, e-bikes, electric school bus, Town of West Hartford's electric delivery van, electric lawn care and more!

In Ukraine, gas dominates. Officials are considering geothermal as a path to resilience as the nation looks toward rebuilding, “When it comes to a green recovery, we want to think not only of what we should do…for the next 10 years, but for…60 years.”

As they prepare to rebuild after the war, Ukrainian delegation visits Mass. to study geothermal energy - The Boston Globe A dozen ministers, mayors, and utility regulators traveled halfway around the world to learn from the Bay State about how to incorporate renewable energy into their vision for a post-war Ukraine.

National Drive Electric Week continues!!! Great day at CCSU in New Britain at the longest continuously running Drive Electric Week event in the country (we think, maybe). Attendees got to see a new CT Transit electric bus, lots of vehicles, and owners excited to answer questions.

More events coming up this weekend in East Hampton, Old Saybrook and West Hartford. Find them here: https://driveelectricweek.org/

📢 Check out Sierra Club CT Volunteer Martha Klein + Brookfield Resident Kerry Swift talk about the dangers of fracked gas expansion in Connecticut.

"We're very concerned about the health of our children + our neighborhoods + also safety." 👀Office of Governor Ned Lamont

Environmental groups rally in Hartford against pipeline expansion plans Those against the proposed expansion plan believe it would not only harm the environment but also public health.

"Better for the climate? Definitely. However, there are many reasons why people love owning and driving their EVs, and many reasons why I’d recommend one to almost anybody who’s in the market for a car."

Read more at the link below from Beva Nall-Langdon in CTInsider.

Find an upcoming EV event in CT at https://driveelectricweek.org/ to hear in-person from experienced EV owners why they are so enthusiastic about driving an electric vehicle.

Opinion: There’s never been a better time to drive electric in CT National Drive Electric Week events throughout CT try to lure drivers to check the status of EV technology.

Thanks to everyone who came to the Capitol to urge Office of Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) to reject proposals to expand gas pipeline facilities in CT! We will and the compressor station expansion

Officials, climate activists protest gas pipeline plan that could impact 26 CT towns: ‘These pipes run through neighborhoods, they run near schools’ Climate activists marched to the offices of Gov. Ned Lamont the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in Hartford Tuesday to hand deliver letters demanding an end to all pending and fut…

Fun time at the Windsor Eco-Monarch Festival today with Windsor Climate Action! The electric vehicle event had lots of different vehicles, including an e-scooter. There's more electric vehicle events happening throughout Connecticut, see where they are at https://driveelectricweek.org/

Today was the first day of the Electric Vehicle Club of Connecticut EV Showcase in New Haven. Westport's electric police cars, New Haven's electric garbage truck, and an electric boat were on hand along with many different types of electric vehicles. Exciting to see! For more upcoming electric vehicle events go to driveelectricweek.org

Climate disruption harms the most vulnerable Americans the most. Black, Brown and low-income people are most likely to suffer and die from climate change caused excess heat. Learn about it today (Sunday, Sept. 15) at 1pm at ECSU in Willimantic.

This summer, “virtual power plants” deployed across New England to lower energy demand and ensure lifesaving cooling reached residents without any power outages.

Read more about this technology is creating a more resilient power grid below

How 'virtual power plants' help reduce peak power demand in New England On the hottest afternoons this summer, thousands of internet-connected thermostats, home solar panels and battery systems helped reduce the strain on the electric grid. These "virtual power plants" may be a key part of the future of electricity.

Connecticut’s gas utilities are on the brink of a “death spiral.” As more residents move away from methane gas, the cost of maintaining outdated, leaky pipelines will only increase. State leaders must step in to curb spending on fossil fuel infrastructure and ensure our most vulnerable residents don’t face skyrocketing gas bills.

Read more in the CT Mirror here:

Opinion: CT leaders must address gas system 'death spiral' If CT legislators and the governor are serious about lowering energy costs for residents and businesses, they have to contain spending on the gas pipeline system just as directly as they do electricity.

As summer turns to fall, you might be thinking about hitting the trails for some fall hiking. Check out our MeetUp page for lots of hiking and outdoor events:

CT Outdoors -- Sierra Club | Meetup **Join us for fun and challenging outdoor activities while making some new friends. We hike almost every trail in CT and the nearby states, the mountains in the Northeast and have backpacked the Grand Canyon, Patagonia, Sequoia, Banff, Mount Whitney, Iceland, etc.. We have some great hikes, paddles,

"The Capitol Area System, with its decades-long history of polluting our air, needs to be replaced! We have the chance to choose 100% clean, renewable energy solutions, such as ground-source electric heat pumps, that will significantly reduce harmful emissions and improve our air quality." Read more from the Hartford Courant Opinion Page

Opinion: Everyone in Connecticut has the right to clean air Choose the clean energy path. Choose the health of our children. Choose the future we all deserve.

Join us for a screening of the new film, "Crown Jewels" to learn more about the value of mature and old-growth forests, and the fight to protect them. The event will feature a Q&A discussion and an opportunity to write a letter to the Forest Service calling for safeguarding mature forests in Connecticut and ancient forests across the country.

Wed, Sep 11, 2024; 7:00 PM
The McCauley, 275 Steele Rd, West Hartford, CT 06117

Greater Hartford Group Monthly Meeting: Crown Jewels Film Screening Greater Hartford Group Monthly Meeting is hosting a screening of the new film, "Crown Jewels" to learn more about the value of mature and old-growth forests, and the fight to protect them. The event will feature a panel discussion with Q&A and an opportuni

“I haven’t gone to a gas station for almost 3 years. It costs a lot less to own [an EV]... I don’t have to worry about the maintenance that I used to have with a gas car.” Learn more about why this Cheshire, CT family drives NAG - Nonprofit Accountability Group

Interview with an EV Owner — Karamo Kourouma

Connecticut must rise to meet the challenge of the , and adoption of cleaner cars and trucks standards is a critical step! Read more from editorial board:

https://www.ctinsider.com/opinion/article/complaining-electric-car-regulations-isn-t-good-18452381.php

Editorial: Emissions key to clean-energy future Complaining about electric car regulations isn't good enough, the editorial board...

This week in Hartford Business Journal — 2 expert economists explain why strong policies like the ones before the Regulation Review Committee at the Connecticut legislature are crucial to the future of Connecticut’s economy! 🚗🔌⚡ https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/take-it-from-the-economists-cts-electric-vehicle-policy-is-common-sense

Take it from the economists — CT’s electric vehicle policy is common sense Connecticut’s proposed adoption of the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) standard has spawned a large amount of debate.

REGISTER FOR NESSBE TODAY: 👉 Panel Highlight: 👉 Join a panel of legislators to discuss policy solutions and challenges to address Energy and Environmental Justice in the Built Environment. Explore this and many other solutions for meeting the challenges of the built environment while lifting up our most vulnerable CT communities. Learn more >> https://www.nessbe.net/ Register now >> https://www.nessbe.net/registration

Speakers include:

👉 State Representative Jonathan P. Steinberg, State of Connecticut General Assembly
👉 State Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw, State of Connecticut General Assembly
👉 State Representative Joe Gresko, State of Connecticut General Assembly

Thank you to our sponsors!

Climate Leaders:
Automated Building Systems, Inc.
CT Green Bank
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

Climate Steward:
HMTX Industries

Climate Advocate:
ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems US
Greater New Haven Green Fund

Please take this action and call Governor Lamont and Commissioner D***s!

Lights Out Connecticut Lights Out Connecticut is a growing community of residents, property owners, businesses, nonprofits,