Senator Gaston Receives a Perfect Grade on 2024 Environmental Scorecard

This week, State Senator Herron Keyon Gaston (D-Bridgeport), received a perfect score of 100% from the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) based on his support of pro-environment legislation during the 2024 legislative session.

The CTLCV’s annual scorecard, released Tuesday, assigned Connecticut legislators numerical grades based on their support or opposition to proposals to reduce pollution, promote climate resilience, or preserve natural resources. This year’s scorecard evaluated votes on more than a dozen environmental bills to generate the overall score.

“Supporting our environment means we are ensuring the health of today, tomorrow, and future generations,” said Sen. Gaston. “I am delighted to receive this recognition for my efforts during this past legislative session for prioritizing efforts to protect energy efficiency, prohibit the use of toxic PFAS chemicals and work to update Connecticut’s energy efficiency standards for consumer products.”

Some new policies highlighted in this year’s scorecard included:

-SB 292, PFAS Ban: This law prohibits the use of toxic PFAS chemicals in a wide range of consumer products such as textiles, carpets and children’s items.

-HB 5052, Supporting Solar Energy in Schools: This policy, adopted through state bonding, creates financing for solar energy and energy efficiency projects in public schools, reducing both energy costs and carbon emissions.

-HB 5219, Herbicides Along Railroads: This new law requires railroads to adhere to standards on the application of herbicides in railroad rights-of-way to protect water sources and wetlands.

-SB 301, Energy Efficiency Standards: This policy, adopted through state bonding, updates Connecticut’s energy efficiency standards for consumer products and provides grants for retrofitting projects to reduce energy use and costs.

Senator Gaston was one of 18 senators to receive a perfect score in this year’s environmental report card.