FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, October 24, 2024

SENATOR OSTEN EARNS 100% SCORE ON 2024 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT CARD

State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Norwich) has received a perfect score of 100% from the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) based on her 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.

“Out here in eastern Connecticut, the environment is our livelihood. There was just a report out this week that agriculture employs 31,000 people and generates $4 billion in revenue every year to the state. And agriculture relies on a stable, clean environment to be successful,” Sen. Osten said. “I’m going to keep voting for the interests of the people of Eastern Connecticut, and those interests include farmers and parents with children who want a clean and safe environment to earn a living and raise a family.”

Sen. Osten was one of just 18 senators — all Democrats — to receive a perfect score on this year’s environmental report card.

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.