Fw: [RICC] CT House Approves Global Warming Solutions Act
RI Interfaith Power and Light
Here’s to making Rhode Island the next state to act.
Matt
courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hcu-housegreenhouse-0428,0,2687352.story
Courant.com
House
Approves Bill To Drastically Cut Greenhouse Gases
By DAVID
FUNKHOUSER
Courant Staff Writer
6:22 PM EDT, April 28,
2008
The state House of Representatives Monday overwhelmingly approved a
tough new mandate that requires the state to drastically cut the greenhouse gas
emissions associated with global warming.
The bill passed 131-16 after
more than four hours of debate and votes defeating several amendments proposed
by Republicans. In the end, 26 GOP members joined a solid wall of Democrats in
supporting the bill. It now moves to the Senate.
The measure builds on
goals set by the state four years ago and would require
Connecticut to cut emissions, primarily from the burning
of fossil fuels, to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below
2001 levels by 2050.
Many scientists say those goals must be reached in
order to stave off the worst effects of global warming.
"To get there, it
will take a very comprehensive statewide effort," said State Rep. Patricia
Widlitz, D-Guilford, who led the charge for the bill on the House
floor,
Similar measures have already been enacted in
California, Hawaii and New Jersey.
Earlier this month, Gov. M. Jodi Rell joined 17 other governors in urging the
federal government to join with states in a national effort to curb the appetite
for energy and find cleaner sources of power.
"This represents one of the
strongest pieces of global warming legislation at the state level to date," said
Chris Phelps of Environment Connecticut, one of a coalition of groups pushing
for the bill.
"Connecticut can't solve global
warming all by ourselves, but we can do our fair share," he said. "Passage of
this legislation will help set the bar for Congress as it debates national
global warming bills this year."
Copyright © 2008, The
Hartford
Courant
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