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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, October 24, 2024

SENATOR LESSER EARNS 100% SCORE ON 2024 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT CARD

MIDDLETOWN – State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) has received a perfect score of 100% from the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) based on his support of pro-environment legislation during the recently concluded 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.

2024 Scorecard – CTLCV

“Every day we see the challenges facing the environment that we live in, whether it be massively destructive rainstorms, brush fires, the hottest summers on record, a lack of snow, chemicals in our clothing, chemicals on our grass – it all affects our quality of life here in Connecticut. I’m proud to stand up and cast votes to protect and improve the environment for the families who live and work here and who call Connecticut their home,” Sen. Lesser said.

Sen. Lesser was one of just 18 senators — all Democrats — to receive a perfect score on this year’s environmental report card. Democratic state senators scored an average grade of 97% (an A+) for their votes to protect Connecticut’s environment, while Republican senators scored an average of 50% (an F), according to the CTLCV.

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

-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.