CT Climate News

60-116 West Dudley Town Road, Bloomfield, is the site of another proposed warehouse. Google Maps satellite view shown above. There's a new mega warehouse coming to town in Bloomfield, if Missouri-based NorthPoint Development LLC has its way.  NorthPoint has requested a special permit to construct a 521,886-square-foot warehouse with 118 loading docks, 206 trailer parking spaces and 361 car parking spaces, at 60-116 West Dudley Road in Bloomfield. A 15,750-square-foot building that now sits on the property would be demolished, the Hartford Business Journal reports . As seen in the Google Maps satellite view above, there are considerable woodlands at and around 60-116 West Dudley Road. The HBJ article doesn't acknowledge how many acres of habitat would be destroyed for the massive warehouse. New:  Click here for Apr 3 Hartford Courant Story The project was supposed to be the subject of a Planning & Zoning hearing recently but had to be postponed due to lack of a quorum. The

An 87.7 acre site is proposed for a cluster subdivision on Morea Road in Farmington, near the Bristol line. The proposal is for 25 lots to be developed on 20.9 acres, purportedly leaving the other 66.8 acres as undeveloped open space.  Carrier’s application documents are available  here . Area neighbors aren't on board. They say it would disturb woodlands, cause traffic problems and change the neighborhood. Nearby residents have been organizing opposition to the project using “Save Morea Road” lawn signs, running an online petition and raising money though a GoFundMe campaign to hire a professional engineer. That’s what it takes to defend the environment when you’re up against developers. As reported by the Hartford Business Journal , during the March 27 public hearing residents also voiced concerns that “Planning and Zoning Commission member Patrick Carrier, along with his brother, Town Councilman Johnny Carrier, are principals of Carrier Group. Patrick Carrier has recused hi

AGENDA   just out for March 22 meeting ! Watch the meeting   live   Wednesday at 10am  UPCOMING VOTES TO WATCH:   MARCH 22 ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE The Legislature's Environment Committee has two meetings left to vote on some of the most significant bills on its agenda.   As anticipated, some of the big environmental efforts this year are around climate, waste, wildlife, trees, toxic chemicals, and Environmental Justice.  Many of the bills on our Watchlist have already been voted out of the Environment, Energy, and Transportation committees, and are awaiting further action in the House or Senate.   On Wednesday, March 22 , members of the Environment Committee will be voting on legislation that could be transformative for our state. We have been working around the clock to help get these bills in the best possible shape before the vote.     The Committee Agenda will not be released until 3:00pm today, but we want to give you a heads up on a few of the bills to watch:   Senate

The latest IPCC report calling for immediate, urgent climate action report comes a week after the Biden Administration in the United States approved the huge Willow oil-drilling project in Alaska, which could produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil a day. The world needs to cut 60% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, compared with 2019, IPCC says. Humanity is on thin ice — and that ice is melting fast,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. “Our world needs climate action on all fronts — everything, everywhere, all at once. Here are excerpts from early coverage of today's IPCC report from the Associated Press, NY Times, Washington Post, and the IPCC press release.   AP / ABC: UN Issues Major New Report on Climate Change Governments gave their blessing on Sunday to a major new U.N. report on climate change, after approval was held up by a battle between rich and developing countries over emissions targets and financial aid to vulnerable nations. The report by hu

Next Environment Committee Hearing: Friday, March 10! The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters urges all environmentally-minded residents across the state to contact the Environment Committee in support of a batch of good environmental bills and to oppose two bear hunting bills. Many of the bills on CTLCV's  Environmental Watchlist have had a public hearing and been voted out of committee. But many more are pending. You have another opportunity to help persuade lawmakers to keep good bills moving and stop the bad ones! The General Assembly's Environment Committee will hold a PUBLIC HEARING this Friday, March 10 at 11:30 AM in Room 2B of the LOB AGENDA We need your advocacy! Use the links from the Agenda above to easily submit testimony , or you can sign up to testify by zoom. SUPPORT : Please take this time to send in your comments in support of any or all of these pro-environment bills on the hearing Agenda: SB 1145 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions SB 1147 Envi

As reported by Phil Hall at Westfair Communications  and in Darien's press release The Town of Darien has agreed to purchase the 60-plus acre parcel known as Great Island for $85 million.  The closing date for the sale is May 5.  "Great Island is a pristine landscape with approximately one and a half miles of coastline in an environmentally sensitive cove on Long Island Sound," said Darien's First Selectman Monica McNally. "With this purchase, we have prioritized the conservation of this magnificent property, saving it forever from intensive development. We have added significant open space for Darien, which is needed more and more as our town enters a new development phase." Seemingly at odds with the town's conservation priorities, however, are its plans to widen roads and create parking areas in this pristine landscape.   According to the town's press release , " After the May 5th closing, the Town will begin to perform some physical work on

From the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters: SAY "NO" TO BEAR HUNTING Unless we speak up right now, our state legislators are poised to approve the recreational hunting of black bears in Connecticut. The Environment Committee is holding a hearing this Friday, March 10th on Senate Bill 1148 , which would establish a lottery to hunt and kill Black Bears. Use this link and follow the instructions to submit your comments to the Environment Committee in opposition to SB 1148. This same issue has been raised at the legislature over many years, with hunters seeking open season and unrestricted ability to hunt bears in the deep woods where they naturally live. Hunting has no impact on "nuisance" bears that have been coming into communities to take advantage of easy food sources provided by homeowners. CTLCV supports non-lethal solutions to address this human-caused problem. Until recently, our state DEEP has done very little in the area of prevention and publi

As reported in the  Hartford Courant on March 6,  developers have proposed a 750,000-square-foot distribution center in suburban Middlebury and a 1,000,000-square-foot one in rural Ashford, to the dismay of the people who live there. Developers keep trying to woo towns and their residents with the prospect of Jobs! And Tax Revenue!, as if that compensates for the traffic, noise, pollution, habitat loss, displaced wildlife, and all-around massive carbon footprint. Not exactly the climate action we need to take in our ‘ brief and rapidly closing window ’ if humanity is going to avoid a hotter, deadly future of climate change. The good news is residents are using social media, online fundraisers, and lawn signs to organize opposition. They’re writing their local officials. And they’re showing up – and speaking up – at town meetings. And it’s working. Courant writer Don Stacom reports that “Willington and Cromwell residents fiercely opposed mega-warehouses proposed in their communities and

By Alison Cross Hartford Courant.   Full story  here . Bobby Callagy, a 16-year-old junior at The Masters School in New York, helped to draft two pieces of climate legislation in the Connecticut General Assembly to create a climate emergency, improve plastics labeling. The junior from Darien co-authored two bills in the General Assembly’s Environment Committee that would declare a climate emergency in Connecticut and transform plastic labeling to make recycling easier. Callagy is using his experience in the state legislature to advocate for more youth involvement in government. “As a young student, it feels pretty imperative to take action now and not wait till later,” said Callagy. “I’m kind of young, but I feel like a lot of young climate activists are at the forefront of this effort.” After meeting at the Essex Library, Callagy joined forces with State Rep. Christine Palm, geologist and environmentalist Roger Kuhns, and other members of the Connecticut branch of the Citizens Clima