Connecticut Residents write over 2,300 letters to the Governor, Legislators
Over past few weeks, Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) spoke with Connecticut residents about the importance of funding Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) programs. To communicate strong support for our state parks and environmental programs, citizens wrote more than 2,300 letters to Governor Rell and state legislators. Connecticut residents called on leaders to maintain and supplement DEP funding levels by expanding the bottle bill and dedicating the unclaimed deposits to environmental programs and instating incentives to encourage reusable bags. CCE submitted more than 5,000 signatures on petitions supporting DEP program funding to the Governor.
“The people of Connecticut have spoken loudly and clearly: ‘environmental protection is not a luxury.’ ” said Emmett Pepper, CCE Connecticut Program Director. ”Connecticut’s budget for the environment pales in comparison to surrounding states, the state needs to have the necessary resources to keep our air and water clean.”
The DEP carries out a wide variety of important environmental duties, including managing state parks, monitoring air and water quality, enforcing emissions standards, managing the fisheries in the state and protecting open space. Unfortunately, Connecticut spends a smaller portion of its state budget than many surrounding states on environmental programs. Recently, the state spent as little as 0.23% of the budget on the environment compared to Rhode Island’s commitment of 1.24% the same year. Throughout the state there are historic landmarks, picnic areas, and other important public spaces are inaccessible because of a lack of resources.
“Connecticut simply cannot sustain any further cuts to environmental programs,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of CCE. “Today, in the age of the ‘staycation,’ having sufficient funds to manage state parks and protect the state’s air and water is more critical than ever. The Governor and General Assembly should listen to their constituents and maintain funding for Connecticut’s environmental programs.”
Several programs are on the chopping block or facing reductions because of the low levels of funding. One of the most imperiled is the lobster “V-notch” restoration program. Designed to save the struggling lobster industry, this successful program brings high school students and lobstermen together to mark female lobsters with a “V” on their tail before returning them back to the Sound. The “V” makes the lobster off-limits for being harvested and allows the population to grow. The lobstermen are paid for the lobsters they mark and the students learn about wildlife in Long Island Sound. The program was unfunded last year, but was able to survive by using leftover funds from the previous year. Those funds are gone, so new money is needed.
“DEP programs like the Lobster Restoration Program are important to the local economy and to the well being of Connecticut residents,” said Emmett Pepper. “The natural world is the foundation to our economy and we can’t afford to short-shrift it.”
