FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Senate Ranking Member of the Environment Committee, Sen. Harding Criticize Democratic Plan to Make Home Heating Oil & Gasoline More Expensive
March 23, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2023
Photo & Links Included
Senate Ranking Member of the Environment Committee, Sen. Harding Criticize Democratic Plan to Make Home Heating Oil & Gasoline More Expensive
HARTFORD- Today, Senator Stephen Harding (R- Brookfield) stood against proposed Democratic policy, S.B. 1145, An Act Concerning the Establishment of Sector Specific Subtargets for Greenhouse gas Emissions Reductions and Regulating Emissions of Small-Off Road Engines. This proposal marks a complete abdication of legislative authority, outsourcing environmental policymaking to the state of California and allowing for subsequent new taxes and penalties to be levied on Connecticut’s families without legislative approval.
“Despite its noble goals, S.B. 1145 marks a new annual rite of passage in Connecticut, outsourcing our environmental regulations to the state of California. This proposal is poorly drafted, ill-conceived, impossible to implement, and the Senate Republicans stand strongly against it. When bills are written by activists, unintended consequences abound. For instance, this bill would essentially set the status quo for regulated entities in stone, with any improvements requiring no new emissions, regardless of the mitigation on the original emissions level of the entity,” Sen. Harding said.
Harding continued, “With all that ails this state–a labor shortage, a health care affordability crisis, a public safety emergency, and crushing inflation and taxation–we cannot fathom a costly new regime to regulate our lawnmowers and leaf blowers. What works for Californian families, lawns of palm and lemon trees, is not remotely analogous to the oak-lined lawns of Connecticut.”
- Allows the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to join in programs that place new taxes on gasoline and other fuels.
- Allows DEEP to enter TCI and other fuel tax programs without the legislature’s approval.
- Allows DEEP to implement “market-based compliance mechanisms”, i.e., cap and trade or carbon taxes, without legislative approval.
- Authorizes DEEP to lock Connecticut into emissions programs which are regressive and would disproportionately impact low- and middle-income working families and seniors on fixed incomes.
- Shifts authority from the legislature to DEEP by allowing DEEP to enter into agreements with other states and the Canadian provinces on emissions programs that will increase the cost of energy.
The Environment Committee meets at 10 AM on Friday, March 24 in Room 2B of the Legislative Office Building. The meeting can be viewed live here.
###
MEDIA CONTACT:
Hannah Lemek
860-240-0474
