Clean Water Action - Connecticut

Selling Connecticut's Water

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 13:40:07 +0000

Niagara Bottling, a large California-based corporation, has been working with Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) to purchase 1.8 million gallons/day of water from greater Hartford's public supply for commercial sale. The Town of Bloomfield has awarded Niagara a $4.1 M tax abatement to support construction of a production, bottling and distribution facility.

What began as a quiet local government review process has become a public firestorm. We have learned that:

Meet Clean Water Action's Connecticut Team

nbhaerman@cleanwater.org — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 18:13:49 +0000

“We believe that the challenges of reaching 2050 goals — and interim targets along the way — will require fresh thinking, ambitious action, and a new level of leadership…Connecticut’s next-generation climate change response must be integrated and must transcend government’s ordinary role by engaging citizens, business and institutions as full partners.”

— Recommendations to the Governor Malloy's Climate Change Council, 2015.

Clean Water Action is building on our strengths in energy, water, and public health to advance state climate policy and help communities build strength in the face of climate stresses.

Our CT Advisory Council:

Andy Bauer, Chair, Portland Clean Energy Task Force
William Dornbos, Director and Senior Attorney, Acadia Center
Maureen Hart, Executive Director, International Society of Sustainability Professionals
Mark Mitchell MD, MPH, Mitchell Environmental Health Associates, National Medical Association
Lynn Stoddard, Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Energy
Tom Swarr, sustainability engineer
Don Watson, FAIA, architect and FEMA subject matter expert on resiliency

Our Funders:

Barr Foundation
Common Sense Fund
Connecticut Green Bank
Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation
Hampshire Foundation
John Merck Fund
New England Grassroots Fund
SAFER States
Lawson Valentine Foundation
and generous contributions from the community

We’re mapping a path to 100% renewable energy for Connecticut including expanded access to solar by allowing co-op style development - while being careful that clean power infrastructure does not threaten open space, habitat, or natural resources. We continue to support Connecticut’s amazing Clean Energy Task Forces in their work.

We’re bringing our advocacy skills to Connecticut’s water planning process by addressing toxic pollution in our waterways and advocating for stronger water conservation through sustainable landscape design and efficient technologies.

We’re drawing out the connection between climate change and public health risks like asthma and vector-borne diseases, and reaching out widely to involve the public health community in climate policy.

And we’re getting toxic chemicals out of more and more products through negotiation with major corporations and recent legislative wins to ban plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products and to regulate pesticide application at schools and playgrounds.

Download our "Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities 2015-2016" brochure.

Support Clean Water Action by going solar with Sungevity!

Clean Water Action interns and staff at a press conference for the Clean Water Rule

In Celebration of World Water Day, State Environmental Advocates Urge Stronger Protection of Connecticut's Waters

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 15:08:31 +0000

(Hartford, CT) -- In recognition of World Water Day, many of Connecticut’s major environmental groups announced their renewed commitment to safeguard all the state’s water resources including streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands and drinking water sources.

Clean Water Action, Rivers Alliance of CT, CT Fund for the Environment and Park Watershed applaud the passage of a bill two years ago that established a state water planning process.

Connecticut Residents, Advocacy Groups Voice Concerns Over Deal With Niagara

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 14:57:21 +0000

MDC and the Town Of Bloomfield To Privatize And Sell Water; Advocates Urge CT General Assembly to Support State New Legislation To Protect Water

Support Shared Solar!

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 18:25:13 +0000

Clean Water Action has joined forces with other leading environmental groups to build unstoppable grassroots support for scaled up renewable energy that can be developed by and for community interests.

“Shared solar” programs are alive in more than a dozen states - like Massachusetts where housing authorities use it to save millions. In Connecticut, a cautious pilot proposal has been stalled since last session over administrative details. Now there are two bills aiming to fix it - but one would do more harm than good.

Learn more and take action here.

Take Action to Make our Homes Safe from Toxic Flame Retardants!

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:56:57 +0000

Here's the thing about a lot of the flame retardants found in children’s products and in our furniture: They don't always work and they contain highly toxic chemicals.

A growing body of research links exposure to these chemicals with certain types of cancers, reproductive disorders, learning and behavioral disorders and thyroid problems. Children have up to three times the amount of chemicals from ineffective flame retardants in their bodies than adults while firefighters face disproportionately higher rates of cancers likely due to exposure to the toxic smoke and soot from burning products containing these chemicals.

Mobilize to Protect Our Drinking Water

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 01:26:32 +0000

Niagara Bottling, a large California-based corporation, wants to purchase 1.8 million gallons of water per day from greater Hartford's public supply so they can bottle it and sell it.

Connecticut residents are mobilizing to address the gaps in local review of water management decisions, not just in Bloomfield but in all the communities served by the MDC. We all need to step up to support our communities, protect our state's water and advocate for state legislation that prevents this type of action again.

Here is a 5-point plan to ensure transparency and protect our water. This plan would address these issues on a statewide level. The plan would:

Act Now to Protect Connecticut's Drinking Water!

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 01:22:47 +0000

Bloomfield CT just gave the Niagara water bottling company a sweetheart deal to take up to 1.8 million gallons of water per day from the Farmington River watershed, bottle it in plastic and ship it out of state. It will take nearly 200 trucks per day to get the water in and out of town. The Metropolitan District Commission, which has jurisdiction over the water, approves of the plan because the revenue from the sale will help keep water rates low.

Protect Connecticut's drinking water today - take action.

Senate passed TSCA Reform. What's Next?

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 17:57:41 +0000

Last year, the US Congress took major steps toward chemical safety reform by passing bills to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act. The Senate passed its bill just before the holidays; the House passed its chemical safety bill in June. Now, the two pieces of legislation must be combined before the final version can go to President Obama for his signature.

Tell Congress we need reform that goes forward, not backward.

Let's Get Rid of Toxic Flame Retardants

mkelly@cleanwater.org — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 00:33:13 +0000

We have a great opportunity to create momentum to ban the sale of a big group of toxic flame retardants in consumer products but we need your help! Together with our allies Earthjustice and Consumer Federation of America, Clean Water is working to get comments submitted in support of a petition asking the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban children’s products, furniture, mattresses and electronic containing toxic organohalogen chemicals.

Click here to get rid of toxic flame retardants today!