Governor Declares State of Emergency Due to Fire Conditions

By Michelle Rappaport

October 28 @ 2:00 pm

Gov. Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency Friday as a result of dry and windy weather conditions, which raised the threat of brush fires as first responders continued to battle a fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin and Meriden.

In a press release, Lamont said that two months of dry conditions and minimal rainfall had raised the chances of additional fires, even as crews worked to extinguish flames at Lamentation Mountain.

“The filing of this declaration will help provide state and local emergency management officials with the necessary tools to monitor and limit the threat of potential fires, respond to active fires, and respond to any additional fires that may start,” Lamont said. “We are strongly urging all Connecticut residents to avoid any type of outdoor burning as the current conditions pose a high risk of fire danger.”

Weather forecasts expected the dangerous conditions to persist for at least the next several days. Last week, the National Weather Service issued several fire advisories including a Red Flag Warning advising residents of the fire conditions.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued a statewide burn ban on Saturday. The order prohibited firepits, campfires, and outdoor grills at all state parks and forests as a result of the ongoing conditions.

Environmental officials also called on Connecticut residents to be aware that even a small spark can lead to wildfires given the ongoing dry environment. DEEP urged residents to be careful with discarded smoking materials, ATVs and UTVs without spark arresters, and trailers that drag chains, in addition to other equipment that can generate sparks or heat.

“These conditions represent a real and immediate threat to communities across Connecticut,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a press release. “We need every resident and visitor to understand that their actions directly impact the safety of their neighbors, firefighters, and natural areas.”

The warnings come as emergency crews battled the Hawthorne Fire, which had been ongoing since Oct. 21, spread over 100 acres, and claimed the life of Wethersfield Volunteer Firefighter Rober Sharkevich Sr., who died in the line of duty while working to extinguish the brush fire.
Lamont ordered flags to half-staff in honor of Sharkevich last week.

“His selfless dedication to public service and the safety of his community and the surrounding towns is nothing less than heroic,” the governor said of Sharkevich. “On behalf of the people of Connecticut, I thank him for the service he has provided to our state, and I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department and Hartford Fire Department.”

Legislative Democrats Earn Top Marks in 2024 Environmental Scorecard

By Hugh McQuaid

October 25 @ 12:45 pm

Senate Democrats earned an average of 97% in an annual environmental scorecard, released Tuesday by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, which evaluated state legislators based on their votes related to more than a dozen environmental policies.

All told, 18 Senate Democrats received perfect scores of 100% in CTLCV’s 32-page scorecard, which assigned every Connecticut legislator an numerical grade 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 including policies to prohibit the use of toxic PFAS chemicals, finance energy efficiency projects in public schools, and protect water sources from herbicides.

In addition to awarding 18 perfect scores to Democratic senators, CTLCV specifically recognized Sens. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, and Ceci Maher, D-Wilton, as Environmental Champions for their “unwavering commitment to environmental advocacy.”

“We extend our gratitude to these leaders for their dedication to the protection of our land, air, water, wildlife, and climate,” the environmental group said of the Environmental Champions.

The senators said they were honored to receive the distinction.

“This year, my colleagues and I worked to prevent pollution from the forever-chemical PFAS, support increased access to solar and renewable energies statewide and take action against invasive plants, among other actions,” Anwar said in a statement. “The CTLCV’s focus on voting rights is a further reminder of the way our world is interconnected, reinforcing its overall mission.”

The environmental advocacy group awarded Democrats in the House an average score of 97%, mirroring their Senate colleagues.

Meanwhile, Republican legislators in both chambers generally earned failing grades as a result of their voting records. Members of the Senate Republican Caucus earned an average score of 50%, while members of the House Republican Caucus scored an average of 37%, according to the CTLCV scorecard.

The Senate’s lowest score on environmental policies went to Sen. Ryan Fazio, a Greenwich Republican, whose voting record earned him a 25%. The lowest score in the House went to Rep. John Piscopo, R-Thomaston, who scored 23% on his environmental votes.

Connecticut Regulators Deny Verizon Request for Deregulation

By Hugh McQuaid

October 24 @ 9:30 am

Verizon will remain subject to Connecticut regulations and consumer protections under a ruling issued last week by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, which denied the company’s request to reclassify its remaining services in the state.

In its final decision on Oct. 18, PURA refused to approve a request by the New York-based company, which would have changed the classification of its services to “competitive.” Among the reasons for denying the request, the regulators cited the effect such a reclassification would have on the application of state regulations.

“[T]he Authority assigns considerable weight to the impact reclassification would have on the public interest, particularly how the loss of certain consumer protections may impact customers,” the agency’s three commissioners wrote.

The decision mirrored points raised in a September letter to PURA by Senate President Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff, who detailed concerns that Verizon’s deregulation could deprive customers of key consumer protections. The senators also raised questions related to the company’s obligations under its ownership interest in utility poles and its proposed purchase of Frontier.

PURA cited the senators’ letter in its denial of Verizon’s request.

Both senators applauded the agency’s move to block the deregulation when PURA issued a proposed decision several weeks ago. The potential risk of reclassification came as Verizon sought to acquire Frontier, the senators noted.

“This decision will ensure continued oversight of that acquisition and we urge PURA to thoroughly examine whether the purchase will genuinely serve the public’s best interests, or whether it will simply benefit the companies and their investors,” Looney said. “Deregulation almost always entails diminished accountability and compromised safeguards for consumers.”

Meanwhile, Duff argued that companies with an ownership interest in utility poles had an obligation to Connecticut consumers and needed to be subject to continued regulation.

“Given that reports already suggest that Verizon is failing to meet its obligations to replace double poles, this is no time to relieve the company of other critical safeguards involving public safety and outage response in the aftermath of storms,” Duff said.

PURA’s final decision denying the request received praise from Connecticut Consumer Counsel Clair E. Coleman, who told CTNewsJunkie that the decision would benefit consumers.

“Verizon, as a public service company, must adhere to certain standards and consumer protection regulations while utilizing Connecticut’s public infrastructure,” Coleman said. “PURA correctly ruled that reclassifying Verizon’s services would have jeopardized protections, particularly our state’s most vulnerable and elderly residents.”