HARTFORD – State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) today received a score of 94% from the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) for his support of environmental public policy bills during the 2023 legislative session.
The CTLCV released its annual scorecard today (https://www.ctlcv.org/scorecard2023.html) ranking all Connecticut legislators on their support or opposition to a variety of pro-environmental legislation designed to protect and improve Connecticut’s air, soil and water for generations to come. This year’s Scorecard reviewed votes on 31 different environmental bills to produce the Environmental Score.
“Our environment is Connecticut’s most important resource. Without it, we don’t have clean air, clean drinking water or the wonderful natural forests and rivers so many of us enjoy,” said Sen. Needleman. “I’m grateful to the CTCLV for its vital support of the state’s environment and will continue to work toward legislation protecting our state.”
The CTLCV says its biggest legislative wins last session were: Senate Bill 100, Establishing an Account in the General Fund to Provide Grants to Towns that Need PFAS Testing and Remediation; Senate Bill 896, Tree Removal on Properties Controlled by DEEP; Senate Bill 1147, The Environmental Justice Program of DEEP; Senate Bill 1236, Amount of Unclaimed Beverage Container Deposits; House Bill 6480, Working Group on the Restoration of Eel Grass; House Bill 6482, Bonding for Bikeways, Greenways and Recreational Trails; House Bill 6483, Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program; House Bill 6484, Prohibit the Harvesting of Horseshoe Crabs; House Bill 6486, Extended Producer Responsibility for Tires; House Bill 6813, Authorizing the Establishment of a Seabird and Shorebird Protection Program; In addition to a 93% for her votes on the environment, Sen. Maher received a 100% “Democracy Score,” earned by voting in approval of three voting rights bills – the CTLCV considers equity and environmental justice impacts in the process of determining its positions on legislation.
In addition to a 94% for his votes on the environment, Sen. Needleman received a 100% “Democracy Score,” earned by voting in approval of three voting rights bills – the CTLCV considers equity and environmental justice impacts in the process of determining its positions on legislation.
For more than two decades, the CTLCV’s annual Environmental Scorecard rates state legislators on key environmental priorities each year. The CTLCV grades lawmakers on a scale of 0 – 100 based on how they vote on key environmental bills in committees, the House, and the Senate. Their final score represents an average of their votes on those specific bills.