Environment Connecticut Applauds Passage of Clean Energy Bill

Media Contacts

Statement of Environment Connecticut Program Director, Christopher Phelps on passage of SB 1243, An Act Concerning The Establishment of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection And Planning for Connecticut’s Energy Future

Environment Connecticut

West Hartford, CT – “Following yesterday’s unanimous approval of SB 1243, the House of Representatives today voted 139 to 8 to send the clean energy bill to Governor Malloy for his signature. This clean energy bill moves Connecticut closer to an efficient, affordable, and clean energy future.”

 

“SB 1243 puts Connecticut back to work creating jobs building solar, wind and other renewable energy systems. This down payment on a clean energy future will help break our dependence on unaffordable, dangerous and polluting energy sources like oil, gas, coal and nuclear power.”

 

“The innovative clean energy and efficiency financing and investment programs in the bill will also help families slash their energy bills and put money back in their pockets. It creates low-cost loan programs and other measures supporting everything from energy efficiency retrofits to clean energy installations and construction of infrastructure for electric vehicles.”

 

“The bill also includes consumer protections, and long overdue reform of the state’s energy planning through creation of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection consolidating many existing state energy programs  to make them more efficient and effective at planning for and moving Connecticut towards a clean, efficient, and affordable  energy future.”

 

 “Environment Connecticut applauds the hard work and effort of the members of the legislature’s Energy & Technology Committee, as well as the administration of Governor Malloy in passing this clean energy legislation.”

 

Key clean energy provisions in SB 1243:

 

  • Creates the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection by combining the Department of Public Utility Control and Department of Environmental Protection.
  • Creates a renewable energy credit incentive program supporting construction of hundreds of megawatts of larger scale zero-emission distributed renewable energy systems like solar and wind.
  • Requires the new Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority to create a residential solar rebate program to install at least 30 megawatts of new residential solar systems.
  • Adopts strong efficiency standards for televisions and other products.
  • Allows municipalities to create property assessed financing programs for efficiency retrofits and clean energy systems.
  • Requires state buildings to reduce energy use 10% by 2013 and another 10% by 2018.
  • Creates incentives for utilities and private developers to build 30 megawatts of new large-scale renewable energy systems including solar and wind power.
  • Authorizes the new Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority to invest in energy efficiency retrofits, renewable energy systems, as well as electric and alternative vehicle infrastructure.