Sen. Duff Joins National Coalition of State Legislators Opposing Federal Rollback of Water Protections

HARTFORD – Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) joined state legislators from across the nation this month in urging the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reject a proposed rule that could eliminate protections for more than 80% of the nation’s wetlands and waterways.

The letter, signed by more than 100 legislators from 29 states, called on EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Lieutenant General William Graham to retain current protections under the “Waters of the United States” rule rather than endorse the proposed rollback.

“It’s hard to fathom why the Trump administration has proposed to strip away the federal safeguards that protect American waterways and wetlands, especially given polls show near-universal support for preserving our nation’s water resources,” Senator Duff said. “Here in Connecticut, we recognize how essential these protections are to our public health and our economy. That’s why we’ve been a leader in adopting strong environmental policies. I’m proud to stand with legislators across the nation in demanding the federal government maintain the protections that Americans overwhelmingly support and that our communities desperately need.”

The proposed rule is expected to have devastating economic consequences nationwide. Research suggests that coastal wetlands save communities $23 billion each year in storm protection and support hundreds of thousands of jobs, including in the fishing industry. In 2018, anglers generated more than $72 billion in sales impacts across the country.

The change would also place greater burdens on state governments, which would be forced to assume responsibility for protecting wetlands and waterways without additional resources or the legal authority to manage the new role.

Legislators who signed the letter stressed that clean water protections are critical to preserving safe drinking water for millions of Americans. Protections for streams, rivers, and lakes enjoy overwhelming public support, with 94% of Americans saying such protections are essential, according to a 2024 poll by Morning Consult for the Walton Family Foundation.

CT Senate Democrats Condemn CBS’s Cowardice

HARTFORD – Today, Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), and members of the Connecticut Senate Democratic caucus condemned CBS for pulling its report on Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), the massive prison in El Salvador, calling the decision a disturbing failure of journalistic courage at a moment when the public deserves transparency and accountability.

“The decision by CBS to pull its reporting on CECOT is deeply troubling and confirms serious concerns about outside political pressure and corporate influence overriding the public’s right to know. The press exists to hold the powerful accountable. When a pillar of American media like CBS walks away from its own reporting, it is an act of cowardice. A functioning democracy relies on having leaders in our media who are willing to challenge power and stand by their work. Political and corporate pressure to abandon the truth erodes the public’s confidence in government at every level. Now more than ever, at a moment when authoritarianism is being openly normalized and democratic institutions are under assault, the media must have the courage to stand up to power rather than cower in silence. The American people deserve fearless reporting, not political censorship disguised as editorial judgment.”

The statement was signed by Senate President Looney, Senate Majority Leader Duff, Senator Saud Anwar, Senator Christine Cohen, Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, Senator Herron Keyon Gaston, Senator Jan Hochadel, Senator Paul Honig, Senator Julie Kushner, Senator Matt Lesser, Senator Rick Lopes, Senator Ceci Maher, Senator Martha Marx, Senator Norm Needleman, Senator MD Rahman, and Senator Derek Slap.

Please Note: a previous version of this press release did not include Senator Herron Keyon Gaston and Senator Jan Hochadel, who both also signed the statement.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193

CT Senate Democrats Condemn CBS’s Cowardice

HARTFORD – Today, Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), and members of the Connecticut Senate Democratic caucus condemned CBS for pulling its report on Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), the massive prison in El Salvador, calling the decision a disturbing failure of journalistic courage at a moment when the public deserves transparency and accountability.

“The decision by CBS to pull its reporting on CECOT is deeply troubling and confirms serious concerns about outside political pressure and corporate influence overriding the public’s right to know. The press exists to hold the powerful accountable. When a pillar of American media like CBS walks away from its own reporting, it is an act of cowardice. A functioning democracy relies on having leaders in our media who are willing to challenge power and stand by their work. Political and corporate pressure to abandon the truth erodes the public’s confidence in government at every level. Now more than ever, at a moment when authoritarianism is being openly normalized and democratic institutions are under assault, the media must have the courage to stand up to power rather than cower in silence. The American people deserve fearless reporting, not political censorship disguised as editorial judgment.”

The statement was signed by Senate President Looney, Senate Majority Leader Duff, Senator Saud Anwar, Senator Christine Cohen, Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, Senator Paul Honig, Senator Julie Kushner, Senator Matt Lesser, Senator Rick Lopes, Senator Ceci Maher, Senator Martha Marx, Senator Norm Needleman, Senator MD Rahman, and Senator Derek Slap.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193