Senator Harding Applauds the Passage of Tree Removal Transparency Legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Hannah Lemek – [email protected] – 860.406.1939 (Cell)
May 23, 2023
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Senator Harding Applauds the Passage of Tree Removal Transparency Legislation

HARTFORD- Today, Senator Stephen Harding (R-Brookfield) applauded the Senate’s passage of S.B. 896, An Act Concerning Tree Removal on Properties Under the Control of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). The legislation aimed to improve transparency and establish standards for the clear-cutting of trees at our State Parks. The arbitrary and unacceptable tree removal at Housatonic Meadows State Park exposed flaws in DEEP’s process for identifying hazardous trees for removal.

Senator Harding said, “S.B. 896 was born out of concerns after the sudden removal of trees in Housatonic Meadows State Park. We have beautiful state parks, particularly in the Northwest corner, and we want to preserve beauty. The proposal helps to monitor the clearcutting of trees and maintain the beauty of our state parks. The legislation requires DEEP to provide information on the clearcutting of trees, which is something everyone in our State has concerns about. I applaud the committee leadership on their commitment to finding a collaborative solution to this important and critical issue.”

The bill was voted out of the Senate on consent and moved to the House of Representatives, awaiting further action.

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HANNAH LEMEK
PRESS SECRETARY
SENATE REPUBLICAN OFFICE

Cell: (860) 406-1939