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Progressive Action Roundtable: A forum for progressive groups in the Greater New Haven Area where actions and ideas may be publicized so that others are aware of peace, health, justice, energy, environmental and other issues for the common good.

Posts Tagged Gov. Dannel Malloy

Call Gov. Malloy to support energy efficiency programs

Dec 29

Posted by Progressive Action Roundtable in Energy | No Comments

– Roger Smith, CT Clean Water Action

For years we battled just to protect the Energy Efficiency Funds from ending up in the state budget.  Thanks to your support, we won, and now we have an opportunity to help more people save energy. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is deliberating on whether to increase our state’s energy efficiency programs and is poised to make a decision shortly. We need your help to show Gov. Dannel Malloy and DEEP Commissioner Dan Esty strong public support for efficiency rather than freezing funding for programs like Home Energy Solutions at current levels.

Inaction would hand $1 billion in consumer savings to unregulated, for-profit power plant owners to buy more electricity and generate more pollution. Our governor has a choice of whether to send more of our money out of state for natural gas, oil and coal or to help residents make their homes and businesses more energy efficient. Not only would increased energy efficiency help more people cut their electric bills, but it would also create local jobs, help address Connecticut’s summer ozone smog problem and achieve our state’s global warming pollution limits.

Call Gov. Malloy or email him. Tell him state law requires that our energy needs be met first through cost-effective energy efficiency investments as they are cheaper and less polluting than generating more electricity. The last state energy plan has found that helping homes, municipalities and businesses increase their energy efficiency is the most effective way to reduce energy costs and comply with our 2007 energy law.

Have you used the state’s energy efficiency programs for your home or business?  If so, tell your story in your email. If not, after you send your email, get started with a Home Energy Solutions assessment of your own home!

Take Action: support help for consumers rather than power plant owners. Thanks for supporting energy efficiency as the foundation of a clean energy future. Gov. Malloy’s phone number: (860) 566-4840!

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Bill To Lower Electric Rates, Promote Renewable Energy Gains Support

Apr 1

Posted by Progressive Action Roundtable in Fight the Hike | 1 Comment

By Frank Panzarella, Fight the Hike

Senate Bill 1 encompasses Gov. Malloy’s plan to merge the Dept. of Environmental Protection and the Dept. of Public Utility Control. This single agency, Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), will oversee issues of the environment and energy.

The goals of DEEP are: 

  1. Reducing utility rates;
  2. Providing for a reliable and safe energy supply;
  3. Increasing the use of clean energy in Connecticut; and
  4. Creating jobs in clean-energy industries.

The Energy and Technology Committee of the Legislature voted S.B. 1 out of committee. It is a comprehensive energy bill that encompasses many suggestions from Fight the Hike.

DEEP, and not the electric companies, will control the Energy Conservation Loan Fund, the Clean Energy Fund and the Energy Efficiency Fund. DEEP will also have responsibility for creating energy reports – the electric companies previously wrote these.

The bill is a positive step to take control away from the electric companies. As corporations, they are accountable to their shareholders. DEEP, as a government body, is accountable to the people of Connecticut. This presents a greater opportunity for accountability, oversight and transparency over the energy industry.

There are specific provisions in the bill for discounted rates, renewable energy projects, more solar development in CT, jobs in clean energy and efficiency programs for lower-income people as well as specific programs to bring renewable energy to distressed communities.

Another important bill for ratepayers is S.B. 1176 which calls for a tax on power plants to produce revenue that will be used to lower rates, eliminate the CTA charge on our bills and balance the state budget. We urge PAR readers to call or e-mail their legislators in support of these bills.

At our last Fight the Hike meeting, it was proposed that we call Sen. Blumenthal, Sen. Lieberman and Rep. DeLauro to demand that all current nuclear power plants be shut down permanently, and that the government bring renewable energy to the fore. “Remind them that the technology is ready, it’s the political will that’s lacking,” said Fight the Hike member Mary Johnson. The suffering in Japan due to the earthquake and tsunami is compounded by the spread of radiation from the damaged nuclear reactors. We need to shut reactors down before there are any more nuclear disasters.

Fight the Hike meets the third Thursday of each month at

7 p.m., NH City Hall, 165 Church St., 2nd floor meeting room 3. Our next meeting will be on April 21. For info call (203) 562-2798 or e-mail paulapanzarella@yahoo.com.

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