• "As a stopover for migratory birds, a purifier of drinking water, a refuge for bobcats and rare amphibians, the 1,000 acre coastal forest known as The Preserve is a unique and priceless opportunity. The $2 million in state funding from S.B. 29 joins support from citizens, towns, and the federal government to help us all come together to protect the land we love," said Chris Cryder, special projects coordinator.
• Roger Reynolds, legal director for CFE, said of a bill that regulates excessive tree removal by Connecticut utilities: "H.B. 5408 is a substantial rebuke to the utilities' proposals that would unnecessarily remove large numbers of healthy trees that don't threaten utility lines. But we must remain vigilant if we are to protect trees in our communities."

• Lauren Savidge, staff attorney at CFE, says "As natural gas infrastructure expands throughout the state, it is essential to prevent additional greenhouse emissions from leaky pipes and equipment, especially those that cost ratepayers money for gas that never even reaches their homes. H.B. 5410 will save consumers money and protect our climate by preventing methane emissions from leaky pipes."

• A large energy bill, S.B. 357 makes major strides forward for recycling and resilient energy in Connecticut. "Recycling is the only long term sustainable way to handle Connecticut's solid waste and this bill puts us on a solid track to get there. We would rather not see a guaranteed market for incinerators in the meantime, but that just increases the urgency to move forward with the recycling goals," Savidge said.

• S.B. 237 "keeps toxic fracking waste out of our state temporarily, provides time to analyze the rapidly-developing science around its impacts, and partially closes the federal loophole that would otherwise let fracking waste slip through Connecticut's hazardous waste laws," says director of legislative and legal affairs Leah Schmalz. "We will use the three-year moratorium to ensure that the next steps needed to fully and permanently protect our state are taken."

Read more about these bills and others on our blog, including bad bills we helped stop and good bills that didn't make it over the finish line and that we hope will make a comeback next year.