Cohen Named Senate Chair of Environment, Vice-chair of Commerce Committees

New legislators to be sworn in on January 9, 2019

Senator-elect Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) today released the following statement after being named Senate Chair of the General Assembly’s Environment Committee and Vice-chair of the Commerce Committee for the 2019-2020 legislative sessions:

“As leaders in Washington look to shift the national conversation on strategies for a sustainable future, I look forward to being the lead voice on environmental issues here in Connecticut. Our state is rich with environmental assets; we have a duty to protect them. We have a great variety of landscapes, wildlife, plantlife, and aquatic features and as Senate Chair of the Environment Committee I’ll be dedicated to passing legislation to conserve and improve those natural resources.

“I believe my experience as a small business owner will prove valuable to the Commerce Committee as our state looks to attract and grow small businesses. There are great opportunities for Connecticut to help business owners and in turn better our local economies. I look forward to working with both sides of the isle to find common sense solutions.”

The Environment Committee works on issues that relate to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Those areas include conservation, recreation, pollution control, fisheries and game, state parks and forests, water resources and flood and erosion control. In addition the Environment Committee works on all matters relating to the Department of Agriculture, including farming, dairy products and domestic animals.

The Commerce Committee works on issues related to the Department of Economic and Community Development which devises and implements strategies that help businesses grow and succeed, revitalize communities and neighborhoods, and promote tourist attractions, the arts, and historic preservation.