News

Submit Testimony and Ask your Legislators to Co-Sponsor HB 6441 to Support New Options for Local Funding to Adapt to Climate Change

We need your help in support of some exciting news!

HB 6441, The Governor’s Act Concerning Climate Change Adaptation includes several proposals which provide municipalities with funding tools to better respond to the impacts of climate change.

Section 3 of the bill enables a Municipal Funding Option – giving communities the opportunity to establish a limited buyer’s conveyance fee program to generate revenue for land stewardship, climate adaptation, resilience, and other local environmental projects including urban forestry, invasive species control, and tree planting.

On Monday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m., the Environment Committee is holding a public hearing on HB 6441.

View HB 6441 

View FAQ on HB 6441, Section 3 – the Municipal Option (including info on how your community may use the funds)

THREE EASY STEPS TO SUPPORT HB 6441

Step One: Submit Testimony by 3 p.m., March 7 

• Please email your testimony to envtestimony@cga.ct.gov
• Include “Environment Committee Testimony, HB 6441, and 3/8” in subject line.
• Attach your testimony (which should include your name, town, and, if applicable, your organization), to your email in either Word or PDF format (PDF strongly preferred).
• Please bcc me and your legislators.
• Find your legislators here.

Sample Testimony to Environment Committee 

Dear Senator Cohen, Representative Borer, and members of the Environment Committee,

I’m writing to ask that you support HB 6441 which provides municipalities with tools to fund climate adaptation and resilience projects, following the recommendations of the Governor’s Council on Climate Change.

I especially support Section 3 of the bill which provides municipalities with an option to establish a buyer’s conveyance fee to fund land stewardship, climate resilience, and other environmental projects in our community.

In my town of _______________, we could use these funds to support local projects including: [describe how your town could use the funds to address climate change, land stewardship, etc.]

Adoption of the program by towns is optional, and it costs the state nothing.

Please support HB 6441 and give our community the opportunity to decide whether to establish this funding program.

Sincerely,

Your name, organization if applicable.

Step Two: Ask Your Legislators to Co-Sponsor HB 6441 

• Send a copy of your testimony to your State Legislators and ask that they co-sponsor HB 6441.
  Sample Cover Email to your Legislators

Dear Senator/Representative _______________,

My name is _________________, and I am your constituent living in the town of __________________. I’m writing to ask that you sign-on as a co-sponsor of HB 6441 which provides municipalities with funding tools to address climate change at the local level, including an option to establish a buyer’s conveyance fee to fund stewardship, climate resilience, and other environmental projects.

Sincerely,

Your name, organization if applicable

Step Three: Plan to testify via Zoom at the Public Hearing on March 8 

• If you would like to testify via Zoom, you must register using the On-line Testimony Registration Form.
• Registration will close on Sunday, March 7 at 3:00 p.m.
• View full public hearing announcement >>

A big thank you for taking action!

With the need to protect our precious open spaces at an all time high coupled with a sense of urgency to address the impacts of climate change at the local level, there has never been a more important time to provide communities with these optional funding tools.

Thank you for all you do!